Issue 3: Blood Moon
by BeepBeepImmaPangolin9
Summary: Eight year old Ashley was out trick or treating when she saw her neighbors being mean to a girl. She became her friend and learned she hasn't seen her mom in weeks. Lindsey's neighborhood was invaded by omnics years ago, making it into a shantytown. However, vampires from another galaxy are invading and it's up to Ashley and her friends to stop them!
1. Prologue

Overwatch: Blood Moon

Prologue

**Ashley's View Age 8**

Ugh why does my phone need to startle me awake? Fine be that way phone! I get out of bed and take the phone off the dock to stop the annoying chiming.

Where's my pangolin plush? Oh he fell off the bed I'm so sorry! Poor thing, your friends Panda, Kitty, Judy Hopps and Elsa will keep you company okay? I want to wear green makeup but mom says it's bad for my skin so I'm Judy Hopps instead of the wicked witch.

I grab my Zootopia 3 bag, phone, my LoveNikki login bonuses, and DM Aliyah telling her for the last time I'm not going to download After School okay!?

And DM Isabella telling her the outfit she made in LoveNikki is amazing! I can't believe how many outfits I missed in that game when you no longer needed a Facebook to play gosh I hate that app.

I pound on my brother's door. "Get up sleepyhead it's Halloween today! We have school today please eat with me!"

I open his door and he still looks tired.

"Wow your Genji costume is so good!"

"Thanks sis! I Facetimed Genji and he helped me you know."

Mom says, "Waffles are ready!"

We rush down the hall and eat them. "So how's Judy Hopps and Genji today?"

I look up and tell her, "We're good. I can't wait to get out there! Halloween should be like a day off."

Mom then tells me agreeing. "I know right! It's actually a holiday people care about and it matters it isn't like President's Day or whatever."

Her phone makes a notification sound, "For the last time I don't care if someone I don't know started a live video!"

I feel my feet swinging as I eat I'm so happy for Halloween today! It's cheer season too and everyone knows me throughout the Youth League as an amazing flyer. These syrupy waffles smell so good too.

I finish my orange juice and mom puts celery carrots and lunchmeat turkey sandwiches in our lunchboxes. Mom walks us to school, it's a bit cool this morning and I like it better than the bus or just sitting in a van.

I see other kids in Halloween costumes but Angel and I have the best ones. I hear the wind going through different trees and birds chirping. We meet up with Isabella, Carlos, and a few more of our friends and their parents.

We have the best costumes, I really like how the fabric feels. Of course our parents helped so it wasn't really DIY.

Angel Abby Carlos and Trang are walking in front of us, laughing at their silly Snapchat filters.

"You guys better not forget to share with me I know what you're doing!"

I send them a selfie with a big mouth filter and weird swirly colors in the sky filter.

Wow Isabella slays in her costume! Of course I was there helping her with it. "I really like your pink glitterbow. Your wings are amazing too."

She smiles warmly. "Aww thanks! Hey are you just complementing yourself since you helped me with it? Just kidding Ash! So how's..."

She whispers. "Judith?"

I whisper back. "She's fine. I'm still not sure if mom believes in good omnics yet."

Carlos looks like he's going to say something funny! His eyes have that prankster gleam, "Guess what I'm planning?"

Angel tells Carlos in a pleading tone, "No farting ok! Carlos, I like you and everything but fart jokes aren't funny they're gross!"

Carlos with a tone like he'd have if they didn't have a shirt he really really liked but not in his size, "But you love my jokes!"

"Not those ones!"

Carlos slowly moves his hand under his sleeve.

Abby tilts her head pointing her finger kinda up. "Carlos! Don't you even think about it."

He sighs, slumping forward. "Ugh, fine."

Mom then reminds us. "You guys really loved the meme Carlos sent you!"

She tells him. "I was there."

She's right, it was funny, but it wasn't a gross and stupid fart joke!

The sounds of other kids walking and talking overcome the hallway and the hall smells bleachy.

Another kid looks over to Angel with wide eyes and an open mouth, "Mr. Foreman is singing into his phone!"

I feel my eyelids narrowing, "Please, do not open that door."

Carlos says, "His Youtube isn't doing so well."

Isabella interrupts, "What if he's just doing it for fun?"

We walk into our classroom and Mr. Foreman is dressed like a pirate. He put his phone down saying, "Happy Halloween class! I've got so many fun projects for all you guys. I'll take your partial quotient and reading homework now thank you."

You can so tell he loves teaching. Ugh I hate division so much! I tap my feet so much, I just wanna get out of here.

He stands, then makes graphs on the smartboard, "Anyway you'll need to prepare sooo much for all the tests."

"There are those of you who don't take education seriously and think they can post Mr. Foreman looks like a dork and smells like a butt on After School..."

gives Dean his you're in big trouble mister stare.

"Women on Bumble say I'm a big beautiful ebony god so I'm going to believe them over a JD wannabe who thinks he's like so cool."

Ha ha Dean's face is so red! He slumps back in his chair covering his face.

"Oh I almost forgot, as much as I love your Genji costume Angel you have to take off your mask."

He looks down a little shaking his head. "I know...I know I don't make the rules but I'll get in trouble if I let you wear it so...yeah."

Angel nods, quietly sighs and takes his mask off.

Ugh, we're doing division now.

draws boxes on the smartboard. "Okay class now you're drawing your strip diagram horizontally. The Girl Scouts raised 918 in cookie sales. They raised 5 times as much as Talon. How much did Talon raise?"

Okay it's 918/5.

I'll start with putting 80 in each box. 80x5=400 so 918-400=518

I'll put 80 in the boxes again so 518-400=118 I hope I won't have to do this all over again.

Now I'll do 20 so that's 118-100 and finally 3 so 18-15=3 so the remainder is 3

80+80+20+3=183 so 183 with a remainder of 3. Wow using a calculator app would have saved so much time!

Yay lunchtime! We sit at a table in the courtyard. Palms are spread all over, clattering in the gentle breeze.

I sit with Abby and I know what that smile means! I'm excited for Halloween too, "Hey Ashley. Halloween is going to be the best, I just know it."

I catch a piece of carrot as it falls out of its little box. "I like your spirit Abby maybe you should be a cheerleader."

"No thanks I just like karate and soccer better."

"That's okay but you don't know the fun you're missing."

Abby then strokes her chin. "You know, you being so Ashtastic is so much of why it's gonna be so good."

Isabella then says, "I know right. You'd be so amazing!"

Trang asks, "How's your guitar practice going Angel?"

"I'm doing fine with it."

He bites a peanut butter celery stick.

Takis rest in Carlos's hand, Angel grabs one and thanks him.

"I'm also practicing guitar I wanna be in a band. I'll get so much YouTube and Spotify money! Everyone will like me and actually listen to me."

Isabella looks at him after he takes a bite of his sandwich.

"It's because we're kids. Like no one listens to us and it makes me mad too."

Her eyes look up with her hand on her chin, then looks at my brother, "You know how lucky you are to have a sister like Ashley? She's the best bestie ever!"

I feel so warm inside! "Thanks, you're the best bestie too!"

Carlos looks kinda sad. His head is down and he breaths out. "My uncle is fighting omnics. I mean why him?"

I then tell him, "I never got to know mine. He died when his work blew up."

Carlos's eyes widen like he's just seen three front handspring into a six times full, "Wasn't your uncle Gabriel Reyes?!"

I tell him, "Yeah and literally everyone says he was like such an amazing guy. My cousins always talk about him."

I take a bite out of my sandwich, my feet almost touching the ground but still dangling. "I can't wait to trick or treat!"

I take a bite out of my sandwich then Aliyah mentions, "I can't wait to trick or treat! My parents weren't allowed to you know."

Uh oh Isabella's smirking like she's going to get us all in trouble with her. She goes into her bag pulling out a roll of toilet paper, "We're going to TP houses...right?"

"That's not funny Izzie! I don't wanna make people mad and get in trouble!"

Abby then tells her. "That wouldn't be Izzietastic of you now would it?"

Angel then says after biting his rice sticks. "I just wish Jacob could trick or treat with us."

Jacob then says. "I really want to but my parents won't let me because it just isn't one of our holidays."

I then tell him. "Wahibah can't either in her country."

Lunch ends so we wait for school to end.


	2. Chapter 1: Trick or Treat

We all trick or treat and Winston is joining us! He's saying his real self is a gorilla costume but Angel and I know it's really him. Only 10 people actually know he's a gorilla, Me, Angel, Jack, Tracer, Genji, Torb, Rein, Ana, McCree, and Mercy. We all meet up at Mr. Foreman's house.

Winston compliments Trang's costume. "Wow you did an amazing job on that costume Trang. You look like you're going to hang out at the Smell!"

Trang smiles. "Thanks sir! I swear we're gonna be the best band of all time! And before you know it we're gonna book a live show there too!"

Mr. Foreman greets us, a clear scent of citron with hints of sandalwood coming off him. Is that how pirates smelled? "Misses Reyes how are you!"

Mom tells him she's doing fine. "Oh I'm alright thank you. Oh I love the detailing on your pirate costume!"

It just doesn't feel the same without dad. "I wish dad could trick or treat with us."

"Yeah me too but those Overwatch people get into so much danger, risking themselves so we could be safe."

He raises an eyebrow looking at Winston, "Is that Winston's costume! Wow it's so realistic! Wow his fur, texture, skin, and color everything pulls together so well! This must have cost you a fortune!"

"Thanks Mr. Foreman! I like, literally made it myself!"

's eyes widen with surprise moving his head back. "No way! You should give up your Overwatch job and design costumes! Hollywood would even love to have you!"

"With all that traffic? No frigging thank you!"

After 15 minutes we compare candies.

Carlos says. "I don't like black twizzlers do you wanna trade?"

Abby happily says. "Oh I love those! Here, I'll trade you a couple of my Butterfingers."

We walk to an underpass and I give a homeless guy a bag a couple packs of Starburst. Angel hands him a Reese's pumpkin but mom stops us and gives them twenty dollars.

"You've earned that candy kids!"

I look across the street and is that Dean hiding behind an oak watching us? Dean is glaring at us from across the street after we trick or treated for an hour. "Losers! We're having a cool party so ha ha! And we're gonna tag buildings and stuff!"

I roll my eyes, "Ugh, whatever." Like seriously why do you think spray painting's cool?

Mr. Foreman says, "He's a smart boy it's just too bad how he literally wants to be a JD so much!"

Winston laughs a tiny bit, "I know right!"

Mom then says, "I was at Lululemon they were having a sale on so many things and I saw him mouthing off to mall cops it's like kid where are your parents?"

Isabella Angel and I lead the way up to the next house.

Angel and I look at each other, smile, and say, "All right Reeses cups!"

We all have lots of nerds, gummy worm bags, Lindt, kit kats, Reeses, small heath bars, and fun sized dark chocolate almond Godivas.

Winston takes a Monster Energy out of his bag and finishes it in one big gross gulp. Please don't belch you'll embarrass us with you.

Carlos looks impressed, "Wow are you sure you aren't like, umm really a gorilla!"

Winston burps, the boys and Abby think it's kinda funny but he's just being gross.

Mom tells us, "Hold on your dad is facetiming me." "Hello?"

"Happy Halloween Alyssa! How are the kids?"

"Oh they're doing good thank you."

"Who's that in the gorilla costume?"

Winston points at himself with his chin up and thumb pointing at his chest, "I'm Professor Winston!"

"Wow your costume is perfect!"

"Why thanks Abe! That means a lot coming from you!"

Winston looks at Angel and me, "It's really too bad he couldn't make it but like..." he shrugs "You know."

He goes on. "Overwatch works in warzones so like so he's doing really important things."

I hear someone yelling. "Beat it street rat!"

Isabella tells me. "Omigosh look at her costume! Did she get all that from Goodwill?"

A little girl in another group tells her friend. "I remember her. A couple weeks ago she was running around the store asking have you seen my mom? And started crying."

She's wearing a dark blue wig, azure blue headband with a sparkly glitter crescent moon glued on hey I love sparkles too! Small dragon wings, and boots with silver chains on them.

I tell her. "I feel bad for her! Where are her parents?"

says. "That's a really good question Ashley! Don't get too close though she could try finessing us."

We go over and she doesn't really smell the best! Like exhaust, dry air, and Fabreeze. Well at least she's trying.

She's backing away from us. "There's no need to be scared we wanna help you! That guy was so mean to you!"

She shrugs, sighing. "I'm used to it."

I give her a few of my Reese's and Twix and Angel gives her his twizzlers and peanut M&M's. Jacob, Abby, and Carlos also give her candy. Isabella looks at us then offers her a few candies too.

She looks at us, blinks twice and says. "Kay what do you people want with me?"

Why is she annoyed with us? She's out here for candy and we're giving her candy she should be happy. "We're just trying to be nice okay!"

She still sounds like we're annoying her. "If you want me to do anything just say it!"

"I saw people yell at you and I felt bad!"

"If you must know..." she looks around and whispers. "I'm from the shantytown and making my costume took months!"

Winston tells her sounding surprised. "You walked all the way from there to...here! No way! Why would you do that!"

"Because I need to help everyone! We're all hungry and thirsty and we're helping each other!"

She sits on the curb with her head on her hands. "It's not fair so many people can eat everyday and we can't! Omnics and the cops really make things harder for us!"

Poor Lyndsay doesn't deserve to suffer. How can anyone let this happen to her?

"Mom can we adopt Lindsey!"

She smiles weirdly while rolling her eyes like she's looking for monkeys to fall out of the palms even though we don't have monkeys here. Well except for Winston that is. But only we know he's really a gorilla and not a person. She squats down, petting the back of my head. "Ashley, hon, we can't adopt her. She already has a home!"

"But mom the shantytown hood is too dangerous for her or anyone to live!"

Mom sounds a little sad too. "I know sweetie. Hopefully those kids will find good foster parents someday. The war is hard on everyone. Let's go."

Lindsey and Isabella whisper to each other and I rejoin them. Uh oh it's Melissa!

"Wow I knew you guys were losers but you're hanging out with a shanty rat seriously! I can't believe you guys!"

Ugh, it's Melissa! She makes me stew just looking at her. "She's not a rat ok she's my friend Lindsey!"

"Kay but you know she probably just wants to steal your candy right? She could steal the shoebox you sleep in you know."

She's seriously trying to pat me on the head!

"Don't touch me!"

I accidentally backed up into Abby.

"Sorry!"

Angel takes a couple of steps forward. "Please leave us alone! Lindsey didn't do anything to you!"

"Oh please! She smells even worse than you do."

But my brother doesn't even smell?

"And her costume is just rags!"

Oh no Lindsey's starting to cry! "People need me okay! Mom hasn't been home in like weeks and we're all working together to help each other survive!"

Melissa looks down, sighs, and back up, walking towards us. "Hey umm, sorry about what I said earlier. You know she's probably not coming back right?"

"I know she is she loves us!"

"I'm a foster and always hated myself for my mom leaving me and dad being killed by Overwatch."

Melissa's foster mom gently tugs on her fairy headband. "I think we better get going. It was nice seeing all of you!"

Melissa glares back meanly at me and Angel, but looks a little sad looking at Lindsey. She whispers to her friends gosh I hate her so much. She's usually so mean to us especially Angel.

Lindsey looks at me frowning, her tears stopped but obviously still sad. "Why is she so mean of course mom is coming back I just know it! At least she knows what happened to her dad."

This is so exciting! I really like all these pretty decorations like the cotton spider webs. We walk up to a house waiting for our candy.

Jacob knocks and I tell Lindsey. "I still can't believe you walked all the way here!"

"I rode my bike and you need a special app to use it. Anyway I wish mom could trick or treat with me. She'll be back someday!"

The lady who gave us candy looks so impressed! "My gosh your costume! Oh that must have costed you a fortune! If I didn't know better I'd say you were a real gorilla!"

"Oh, well, you know, I mean thanks! It's like really impossible finding anything this good!"

Well he's not lying. It's hard finding anything that good.

We get our candy and I look at Lindsey and we skip together.

I hear Isabella say. "Don't forget about me!"

How could I ever forget you Izzie?

I tell Lindsey. "Your wings and shirt are really pretty!"

"And I like your witch outfit."

We get crunchy toffee candy bars and continue. This is so exciting we have a new friend! I open up to her. "Can I tell you a secret? I'm captain and center flyer of my youth league cheer team and still don't feel like a real cheerleader."

Her eyes shine as she talks fast to me. "Omigosh that's so amazing! I always wanted to see the Getty."

"You like art?"

"Yeah."

"Me too!" Okay not really but I want her to know I'm her friend.

"And I moved up from a tent to a house with metal sheets and plywood! And I have a cat that helps with scorpions! Bark scorpions are just the worst!"

sighs. "To think they migrated all the way here."

The palm fronds clatter in the gentle breeze.

We pass by many other groups who stare at us in amazement. Well our costumes really are that great.

Me and Abby face each other giggling because of someone's horribly clashing magenta and seafoam costume.

I whisper. "I hope she's wearing that as a joke!"

Uh oh I don't have a good feeling about this place! We knock and all say in sync, "Trick or treat!"

A lady with dark brown hair answers the door. She smells like weird bitter soda somehow. She rolls her eyes, the corners of her mouth turning down like we're just in her way. She looks at my group then notices me last. She looks mad I wonder what's wrong?

"It's you kids! I know about you! You ruined my life forever! Just go away!"

I turn around facing Angel as we start walking away. "Ever notice how good teachers care about people and are nice?"

Uh, oh! I hear stomping. "What did you say miss! I'll never forgive you for calling me a bad teacher!"

Everyone runs away from her.

I hear laughing behind me. "Carlos! Stop laughing at her you're only going to get her madder!"

Winston then yells in a mocking singing way to her. "Your science articles stink!"

"I can't help it this is way too funny!"

Oh good we lost her.

The way she spoke was so mean! I bet she's still salty from when we stopped her evil scheme back in July. Genji almost killed Winston because of her! Well I think it was her. Maybe I only think that because I know how mean Elona is?

Isabella's nose scrunches and her eyes narrow into an accusing vengeful look. She gets a roll of toilet paper and I tell her, "No Izzie we're better than that."

Mr. Foreman speaks in his why do people have to do that tone. "It's really sad how some people hate children that much."

Isabella's mouth hangs wide open and she notices, "Oh my gosh your house was TP'd!"

I can see you Ryan! His mocking glare showing through his thick glasses. Ryan is across the street laughing as he records our reactions.

Angel tells mom he'll clean the toilet paper off.

Dean comes out from behind a bush pointing at us with both fingers, "You've just been TP'd by..." he puts his sunglasses on and dramatically turns to us, "Dean! Oh and Zootopia stinks!"

I have no words! How can anyone hate Zootopia?

He and Ryan jump into an SUV where a guy in a leather jacket drives off laughing.

Oooooh mom looks mad!

"Wow the Santa Anas are making literally everyone badly tense and irritable. I'm feeling a bit of that Santa Ana craziness myself I know where they live come on!"

Mr. Foreman then says, "No it isn't worth it! And why would Ryan be friends with...him!"

Carlos's mouth drops and eyes widen with surprise. "Like seriously of all the kids at our school he's literally the smartest!"

Angel says, "It really is too bad. I really want candy but I also really wanna keep walking!"

Lindsey has a playful gleam in her eye and she whispers me. "Guess what? I got some of his candy!"

I'm so surprised! "Oh my gosh no way!"

She smirks looking at her painted black nails. "I saw how mean they were to you guys so I didn't feel bad about taking from them."

"Do you have Insta Lindsey?"

"Sure but my phone isn't always charged. There aren't many places where we can charge and like the lines get long waiting to charge them."

We snap each other different sky and face filters and Isabella and I send our cheer squad. Aliyah is using the bear filter. What there's an achievement for snapshotting, ugh whatever!

Isabella's eyes gleam as she smirks. "Their snaps aren't as good as ours.

"No kidding."

It was a fun day...except for Dean TPing my house!

We all go back to our houses. I asked Winston what he knows about Elona and he says, "She was a top scientist who worked at Oasis but Overwatch proved she was evil so she got fired. She even won prizes for science."

When we're inside we spill our candy on the table and we all share and trade.


	3. Chapter 2: Ashley's New Friend

Chapter 2: Ashley's New Friend

A week after Halloween on a Saturday afternoon.

Mom is pacing back and forth in the kitchen watching the news on her phone. The newsperson says, "Atlanta has just been attacked by omnics! Like so many people are dying and everyone including me are really terrified! I hope everyone stays safe. Overwatch is aiding our cops to keep more people from dying!"

Please be safe everyone!

Oh my gosh...those popular Instagram models...they're so pretty! Mom's in the living room reading. I sneak into her room and steal her makeup.

Okay...from the YouTube tutorial I should wear foundation. Now for the blush lowlights and highlights and matte red lipstick...oh my gosh I look so awful! Ahhh help me! Everything always has to have so many stupid directions! I just wanted to look so pretty so badly I didn't even go back to make sure I got it right.

I run to mom crying. "Mom! I wanted to be beautiful just like you but I look terrible!"

Mom looks down at me shaking her head with disappointment.

"Stay right here I'm getting oils."

She mixes mineral and jojoba oil, wets my face with warm water and then she rubs my face for like a few minutes and washes it off with a cloth.

"You're lucky we don't use makeup wipes like oh my gosh those things are so burney!"

She then squats down on one knee with her hand on my shoulder with a teeny bit of a disappointed pout.

"Girl, you should have looked up the proper makeup for your skin tone. You have yellow undertones did you really think you could pull off a bare silk foundation? Let me see your wrists?"

"Umm, why mom?"

"Because it has to do with why my makeup is bad for you...other than your pores."

"But I wanna be pretty like you mom!"

She lowers her head, shakes her head, sighs, kneels down and she grabs my wet hair brush and gently brushes hair out of my face with her thumb, "Of course you're beautiful! Why would you ever think that?"

"I don't know I don't feel pretty I mean all these popular singers Instagram models and Youtube stars are light like you!"

She stands back up, looks down at me with her hand out so I pass her my phone, "Let me show you...know her? Look at her views and look at all those stans complimenting her! She's got millions more subs than me!"

I giggle for a bit, "But mom you aren't a famous singer!"

She laughs a little, "True, so what did you learn? Oh, you also shouldn't seek approval you're beautiful if you feel beautiful you don't need millions of stans complimenting you to be beautiful!"

"Thanks. I learned that your foundation is like terrible for my skintone! Oh, and I don't need to be lighter to be beautiful!"

A few days have passed and we have a new girl in our class!

introduces her, "Good morning class! I'd like to welcome our new student, Shauna! Her family came over from Atlanta because an omnium attacked it."

Mom and dad have friends in Atlanta! Too bad gross omnics just had to attack it. Come to think of it I did hear mom ask her friend how is Shauna doing? Maybe it's her?

Her eyes move back and forth and she shyly waves to us.

I mention to her on the way to the courtyard for recess, "That's so sad Atlanta got attacked!"

She sighs and walks faster. Mom told me her friends from Atlanta were moving here because of the omnic attack and they had a daughter who's 8 like me! And why didn't mom tell me about her so I could add her to my Snapchat?

A gentle breeze moves through the courtyard's trees.

She's sitting on a swing while I watch my brother playing with Jacob on the monkey bars.

I ask my friends to walk over to Shauna with me, "I'm sorry if I made you sad. We want to cheer you up!"

I ask her after staring at the lilacs, "How was Atlanta?"

Shauna tells us, "It was alright...until those robots started killing everyone! My neighborhood is gone! I don't even know what happened to most of my friends."

She gets off the swing and we squat sit near the hopscotch squares.

I look into her eyes, she sniffs staring at the squares. "It sounds so sad and scary. I've been bullied before and I hate it. Do you like it here so far?"

"I miss my home already. And traffic is just awful here! I hate sitting in a car all day just to get anywhere. At least my parents know people here."

"Ugh me too! I can't wait to get out of school! What would you like to play as our new friend?"

"Hmm, let's share duck faces!"

We all take duck face selfies with each other with different filters. She really likes the bear ears filters.

"Omigosh they're so cute!"

Shauna laughs, "Oh my gosh your flower filter we're like so 10's!"

"Ha ha yeah! I met this girl on Halloween and people were so mean to her I don't get it? She had a very nice DIY costume and she said she hasn't seen her mom in like forever."

Shauna scoots closer forward to me. "That was very nice of you! Maybe she can play with all of us later! Does she have Snapchat?"

I shrug. "I dunno. She didn't have a phone on her tho many grownups don't think 8 year olds should have phones. Me and my brother got them way back in July for our birthday. We're also trying to be popular so we practice instruments for actually being good enough to trend on SoundCloud and Youtube."

Jacob says with his phone up and in a happy tone. "Yeah these retro Snapchat filters are the best!"

Shauna then whispers to us, "Can I tell you guys a secret? I listen to my parents by putting this thing in their room. Then I go into this app and hear them."

Hmm, listening to grownups talk to each other doesn't really sound fun. They pretend we don't even exist when they're all together in the kitchen. "So why do you listen in on them?"

"Because I've always wondered what they talk about when I'm not around or what they'll say about me."

We stand up and start walking. Shauna looks at Melissa and her friends and Melissa gives my brother a you're so annoying I hate you glare.

Shauna asks me and Angel about K-Pop groups, "So what good K-Pop groups do you like?"

I answer her, "You know, we really love Twice and BTS their voices make us so happy!"

Abby then says, "I like K-Pop too!"

Dean and Ryan walk over like they own the place gosh I hate them so much!

"Remember that time you said smelled like a 1,000 year old piece of cheese the size of France?"

Oooh Abby looks mad, "He never said that!"

Ryan "Yeah huh he did!"

Abby then raises her voice and says, "You just made that up because you know Shauna would hear you and you'd keep us from making a friend! But guess what she'll find out sooner or later that you're bullies!"

Shauna jumps off the swing and goes, "Enough already! Everyone just leave me alone!"

Angel tells the bullies, "Oh great now look at what you did!"

"I can lie about you anytime I want so ha!"

I then say, "Nuh uh who's going to believe you?"

Ryan smirks as if he knows everything, as usual, "Our parents know people who run the schools so ha ha!"

Abby then says to my brother, "Forget those guys! I'm playing basketball are you coming?"

"Yeah I'm still worried about Shauna though."

That's our Abby, always the sporty tomboy. They join with Carlos and Jacob while me and Isabella meet our cheer friends for jump rope.

I'm a little shorter than the other girls so I worry about holding the rope I don't wanna be left out after all. Another girl and I hold both ends of the jump rope while another girl and Isabella jump in the middle. We sing, "Isabella, dressed in..."

We're giggling and Isabella says, "It's supposed to be Cinderella!"

"Cinderella, dressed in yella, went upstairs to kiss a fella made a mistake and kissed a snake how many doctors did it take? Cinderella, dressed i..."

The other girl got hit with the rope so now I'm jumping in. Mom taught me it so I taught Isabella and we both taught our cheer gym.

I look at Abby and Carlos playing tetherball, but Carlos gets hit in the face and Isabella and I laugh. I don't know maybe it's the funny face he made. Grandma says it used to hurt before new materials were invented to make tetherballs safer and still be fun to hit.

I tell my cheer squad I'm going to talk to Shauna because she looks like she's sad. She's sitting on the high square where trees are planted. "Hey, umm, would you like to play with us? We're in a cheer gym together!"

She's still quiet, is she mad at me?

My bag is hanging on the wall so I get my tablet, "I'll just sit here and read."

Shauna's eyebrows move up then down and leans forward closer to me looking over to my tablet. "Oh my gosh that's in a dark land a changeling's story! That's such a classic!"

I smile and my legs and tummy feel lighter, "I know right!"

Shauna then asks, "Do you think fairies can be real?"

"I guess in a way they are at least we know princesses are real!"

Shauna laughs, "At least they are!"

I promise to her, "Do you wanna hear a secret? But you can't tell anyone okay? When I was 6 I glowed and jumped really high so dad called these old guys to seal what they said was my gift!"

Shauna looks surprised, "No way! Something like that happened to me in Atlanta but grandpa sealed mine. I glowed teal and shielded my big brother and mom and dad were like, "When we leave Atlanta we're so going to seal your power you know! It's for your own good!"

"Uggh I hate when grownups get preachy! Wanna come over later and play school? You can be the teacher first if you want."

She rest her hand on her head thinking. "Hmm, yeah!"

I send Shauna a friend request and she accepted. Shauna accepted your follow request. Now you can see their photos and videos.

The bell rings, our 15 minutes of freedom ends and class begins.


	4. Chapter 3: Abby Spies on the Bully Club

Chapter 3: Abby Spies on the Boy's Bully Club

Yay! Shauna calls her mom and ask if we can visit her and we can. My mom drives us, she left her salon early today. On the way home we watch haul videos.

I ask Shauna, "Aren't her denim jackets so cute!"

Shauna smiles looking at my phone, "That shirt is really cute!"

That's it, I'm going to beg mom to buy it for me.

"Mom will you buy this for me!"

"We'll see."

I tell mom about my day. "So at recess Abby and Carlos were playing tetherball and she hit him in the face!"

I take a sip of water. "But didn't mean to and Isabella and I jumproped and Shauna and I read and..."

"I can hear about all that later munchkin."

I hate that word, except when mom uses it. Dad can too but he just doesn't.

Angel Abby Jacob Carlos Isabella and me all sit on Shauna's living room floor.

Shauna looks at her tablet, "I'm looking in my Dropbox and I'm not seeing your homework, Carlos!"

He looks to his left then right pointing at himself, "Me? It got erased when I was downloading DLC!"

Shauna rolls her eyes and laughs, "Seriously? You really think I'd buy that?"

"Oh, sorry I mean my tablet crashed when I almost sent it but didn't save it and..."

"Uh huh."

UberEats is here! Mom yells "I'll get it!"

Hmm these burritos and ice cream are the best!

Shauna tapped my coffee table pacing back and forth behind it. She then looks at us and ask, "I want you all to read in a dark land well at least the first chapter. Hen talked about her and Izzy's adventures from the previous book, which we'll get to, but what can we like learn from that?

Angel raises his hand, "Yes Angel?"

"Umm...oh I got it! Don't blab too much until you like know and trust people so they won't make fun of you!"

"I'll accept that. What annoying cliche did you find near the end?"

Carlos raises his hand, "Oooh oooh I got it! Not wanting to hang out with the other girls because she thought she was different gosh I hate she's not like other girls so much!"

I then raise my hand, "Yes Ashley?"

"My dad's friend Winston is a changeling and my dad isn't yet they're still friends!"

Angel glares at me with an are you crazy scowl and taps my shoulder then whispers, "Dad said not to tell anyone!"

Shauna laughs, "I'd like to hear more."

I then remind my brother, "Never forget who came out first okay little brother!"

Resting my elbow on my knee leaning forward I look up to her, "Dad's friend Winston had such an amazing Halloween costume you'd actually think he were really a gorilla! He worked on an actual moon base with actual gorillas and he trains them to fight omnics but they can't talk though but he can...but talking is normal for humans so..."

I lightly shrug. Talking gorillas are like so silly she'll have to believe me! She does have the gift though so maybe we'll be able to share our secret with her someday? Maybe she can sense the gift in me too?

Abby's head is resting on her knees looking at the side of my house with the window, "It was such an amazing costume! The fur details were done really well! I've been to zoos so yeah I'd know!"

Carlos then raises his hand, "Ooo ooo!"

Shauna looks at him, "Wait until you're called on okay?"

Carlos quietly raised his hand.

"Yes?"

"Can I be the teacher now?"

"Yes you can be the teacher."

"So why are the Incredibles 4 so cool?"

Jacob answers him. "Umm, because they're superheroes?"

Carlos has his hand on his chin like he's thinking. "Hmm, yeah I'll accept that."

Abby's eyes slowly shift from one side to the other, one side of her mouth goes up in a sly smirk as she turns her head towards Shauna.

"Say Shauna...you said you have spy apps and devices right?"

Abby gets up, slowly walks back and forth, and looks back at Shauna, "I've been planning on sneaking into one of the boy's clubs, you know the one Dean and Ryan are in? I think I can kinda pass since I'm kind of boyish and they already know Jacob and Carlos are Angel's friends."

"Are you sure about that? I mean I'll give you a camera and we can watch you but..."

She grabs Shauna's hands looking into her eyes with sincere thanks in her voice, "Thank you so much!"

She whispers to me, "Who knows what those guys are up to?"

I'm actually kinda worried but we should be supportive of her.

I tell Abby, "Call me if anything gets bad okay? I'll get Dominique to ask you about the dog. If you ask have you fed the dog then we'll come get you but if you ask about the cat we'll know you're good. We'll be watching you from here anyway don't forget!"

Shauna gives her a clear camera patch to put on her sleeve.

Do I hear mom? Her vanilla and citron perfume are pleasant. "Jayla! How've you been I haven't seen you in like forever!"

"Oh you know that Overwatch, always rearranging everybody."

Mom sounding impressed asks. "I really like what you're doing with the place so far! The mint living room walls feel so right with the black painted wood floors."

I hear footsteps. "Hey mom I'm home!"

Abby hides her hair under a baseball hat and we're watching her on a wall projection from Shauna's phone.

Shauna passes us her ear buds, "Ear buds so my parents don't hear us spying."

Abby confidently tells us. "I trust you guys will keep me safe! A boy said his group was going to have a party and talk about pranking us! Wish me luck!"

"Thanks we will and good luck!"

The front door opened huh is that old guy Shauna's granddad? "Oh Shauna your granddad is here!"

That's definitely a yes.f

Carlos growls after he failed the level.

Shauna smiles introducing me. "Hi this is my friend Ashley. She's really nice."

"Aww thank you!"

Carlos is lying on the floor playing Bang Dream playing sobakasu. He growls after he failed the level.

Shauna's granddad lies down and says. "So you like this game too huh? It's so funny how that song goes from like sounding dangerous like she's running down an alley to sweetness and happiness! I mean yeah Aya has a nice voice but seriously! I can help you clear it you know!"

We watch him playing it on Carlos's phone.

He sets it to the highest speed and clears like everything perfectly. He gives Carlos his phone back. "See? What I'd tell ya?"

He stands up pointing his thumb proudly at his chest. Looking up with his eyes closed. "You know, I've been the Meka Fighter champ for decades now! Like, do you even know how many tournaments that is? Like, a lot."

He says. "I'm Jeremiah by the way, Shauna's grandad. I like your taste in music it's so funny because if so many people knew what these songs were really about I guarantee you that they wouldn't like them!"

Carlos looks at the event's top 10. "Seriously why does this Hana Song person always have to be in first place when I'm like always near 5,000?"

Isabella looks curious and she asks me. "Did you check your Band DM?"

"From our coach?"

"Yeah. I was on Band with Jane and Lydia and they're always so tired! I hope they're ok. We probably won't win worlds again if we keep overworking."

"I know right! I know our team needs us but like...ehh we have so much to do I hope we can make it to showcase in time."

Shauna quickly looks back telling us. "She's there!"

Abby looks at Dean sitting in a dusty garage behind a big metal desk. He has flip cards, a tablet, and a laptop, the hem of his pants are kinda frayed.

Dean raises his chin, his mouth scrunching like he doesn't believe in her. He's watching Abby carefully.

He shakes her hand and with an impressed voice, "Your cornflower blue shirt matches your eyes so nicely! And you're pairing it with mocha brown shorts too! I can tell you're already off to a good start! But rules are rules so I still have to follow club policy."

He shows her pictures of 3 tuxedos, "Which is the only one of these are acceptable?"

Abby's eyes squint as she strokes her chin, "The lapels are like an inch too wide on that one, so that leaves these two. That one fits him better so I'll say that one."

"Correct! Why is pink a bad color for boys?"

"Trick question because salmon and coral are acceptable for boys."

"Wow you scored extra! Most boys answer because it's for girls which would only give you one point but you got two points!"

Dean types on his tablet then looks back up, "Oh my gosh! You're like doing so good! You could still fail if you know what I mean."

I watchDean's icy blue eyes shift and I grab Shauna by the sleeve and whisper to her, "Do you think she's going to make it?"

"I hope so! She has my spy thingy."

Angel covers his with his hands saying, "I can't look!"

Trang stands up throwing his hands in the air. "Oh come on we believe in her!"

Dean asks, "Who won the men's world cup last time and why?"

"It was Japan and Hanzo won it for them. He can always do a perfect bicycle kick and him and Genji's ability to flex out of their goals after stopping the ball and taking it to the other side."

"Hmm...I'll accept it."

Angel smiles as his eyes squint and he pulls his elbows in excitedly, "Yes she did it!"

Shauna rolls her eyes and tells him, "She's not finished yet!"

Abby asks Dean with a bit of impatience in her voice, "Am I done yet?"

"Not yet. Sure you're wearing masculine colors with shapeless cuts and know so much about sports but we still need to test you further."

Abby looks at her phone is she going to call us? No, she's just bored, knowing he's just wasting his time.

"Now I'll test you on drinks."

She's looking at a slide with four drinks like soda, a protein shake, orange juice, and water.

"Oh this one's so easy it's the protein shake!"

Aww how cute Dean looks so happy because he thinks he has a new friend. "I know right those things are so healthy and delicious!"

Angel tells us rubbing his eyebrows, "If only I could take her place you guys! She's probably very scared."

Jacob tells him. "I'm worried about her too but I have a feeling she's got this."

Shauna paces back and forth then sits and says. "Hopefully she'll be home before her parents find out."

Dean sounds quite happily, mischief sparkling in the depths of his icy blue eyes. "Last but not least...who is our soccer captain and how do you feel about it?"

Uh oh! We believe in you Abby please don't blow your cover!

"She's a girl named Abby and no one is better than her..."

Dean's nose narrows a little in a way saying he doesn't really approve.

Abby notices him getting suspicious and changes her tone, "I mean it's not fair how a girl takes our spot! Oh my gosh like seriously do you know how many boys wanna be captain of the boys team?"

Dean leans back on his desk warmly telling her, "I like you! I know you're a real boy not like that stupid Angel! Gosh I hate him so much! Actually I think he's really a she! I'm so looking forward to you, me, and Ryan just pranking people together. It'll be so exciting! "

Angel yells at the wall projection, "I'm a boy!"

I turn to him and sincerely say, "We know you are."

"I'm not even around him so we know he didn't say that to annoy me!"

Angel and I go into the kitchen and get everyone tasty aloe water and mango coconut juices.

They are planning a big prank on us! Little do they know we'll be prepared!

Shauna and I look into each other's eyes, knowing that they're up to no good.

She tells me, shaking her head slowly kinda frowning. "They are up to no good I can just tell! We need to avoid their prank but not make it obvious because it'd give Abby away."

The walk to Dean's backyard in a big shed as they walk past his pool. The inside of the shed looks small and woody, like a camp building but much smaller. They all sit down crosslegged on the dusty floor.

Shauna kinda grimaces, " Eww that place is dusty! I bet so much of that dirt is from them digging up holes to eat worms and they brought the dirt in!"

A boy whispers to Abby, "Can you keep a secret?"

Abby nods yes.

"I think Dean has a crush on Ryan but he's too shy to ask him out."

Abby says in an oh my gosh tone. "Shut up!"

"Shh keep it down. How do you feel about him liking him?"

Abby tells him. "I actually think they'd look kinda cute together."

Abby warmly smiles. "Aww! Will they or won't they?"

"I don't think Ryan likes other boys that way, but they are really good friends. Like I feel like Dean knows Ryan would never backstab him."

He uncrosses his legs sitting down and talks moving his hands. "So Dean was like, hey we so gotta prank Angel and make everyone not like him anymore. Then I was like who's Angel? And he was like ugh the weird boy Ryan and I always tease, gosh! And I was like yeah I'll join you guys! He thought I was cool enough it felt so good."

He actually thinks Dean's cool, like seriously? He obviously doesn't know my brother that well if he thinks that about him.

Dean paces back and forth in their big tent in his garage with his iPad projecting onto the wall, "Someone made fun of Ryan's glasses today so we should be nice to him. About our prank against Angel! Okay, we'll need to go to school earlier to really know we'll get to him! Then no one will ever like Angel ever again and his friends would want to be our friends especially Jacob! And then we'll be popular!"

Jacob looks at Angel and me, "If he wants to be our friend he should be nicer like why does he even hate Angel so much?"

We keep watching and Abby looks disgusted with them. Abby is so brave, being a girl how she wants not how other people say she should. She's infiltrating the bullies lair, bullies who are so immature they separate themselves because of their gender. Should I be afraid that she's infiltrated a little too well? Oh gosh I hope Abby doesn't turn on us!

"Shauna, if Abby gets found out like forever after she infiltrated do you think they'll like her?"

Shauna rest her head on her hand sitting on the floor with us. "Hmm, she'll already prove she's just as good at boy stuff as they are. Treating people different because of their gender really isn't fair. It's like she'd still be the same person they know her as only a girl instead."

Dean touches his iPad and the PowerPoint moves to another slide.

Oh no! Am I going to have to cast a spell to keep her cover from being blown?

I stand up wiggling my fingers at the screen and I hear Shauna giggling rolling her eyes. "Ashley! What are you doing?"

I'm casting a spell to keep Abby's cover!

Shauna laughs. "You're so extra Ashley!"

If only she knew I was a real witch! Too bad my powers are locked. Even if they weren't I don't think I have that power anyway and if I did could I even cast it that far? Too many things would be in the way anyway.

Shauna then whispers. "I know you're a witch. Don't worry I'm one too!"

"Wha!?"

Shauna tells me in a oh my gosh you're so funny tone. "Ha! You should see the look on your face! The way your mouth hangs open is so funny and your big eyes too!"

Angel tells us. "I get random too sis."

Trang sounds serious as usual. "We need to focus on the screen guys!"

Everyone is talking over each other there but a couple of boys near Abby are talking about something.

"I really like your band shirt."

The other boy has a big smile. "Thank you!"

He crosses his arms, smirking. "So if you're really a fan who's the drummer?"

He scratches the back of his neck, looking back and forth. "David?"

"David who?"

Abby whispers in his ear.

He whispers back. "Thanks brah!"

Then he whispers to the boy who asked him. Abby keeps walking, and another boy looks at her feet. "Hey bro do you play any sports? With ankles like those you should totally join the soccer team!"

"Thanks!"

Dean walks back and forth in front of his clubhouse's screen. "Okay, so everyone knows how Angel is like handsome and popular like why should everyone love him and not me, I mean us! He thinks he's so cute with his anime hair but I know who he really is! Like who does he think he is blocking me everywhere?"

Dean's eyes narrow, his grin sharpens meanly, walking slowly back and forth with his hands clasped. "And a couple of you will try being Angel's friend but then suddenly avoid him! Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Then you'll hang out near him and talk about your party invites and when he goes up to you guys asking about it you'll just say k and walk away. He'll feel so oh very sad and alone."

He then looks at Abby with a my gosh you're so awesome smile.

"So my dude are you ready to pretend to be Angel's friend so you could get him to tell you his secrets and share them with us? We need people to believe us so everyone stops liking him so we need something to work with. Maybe we can learn more about the new girl in their squad?"

Abby adjusts her hat and says back. "I will!"

A boy who looks like he eats too many cookies whispers to Abby. "Just in case you don't know Angel has girls in his group and girls are silly and stupid."

Of course she knows that you idiot she's one of them! And that's like the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I know Abby and she wants to tell him he's being an idiot but part of pretending to be a bully is agreeing with their mean dumbness.

He has an I'm such a salty hater look on his face as he tells Abby. "It's so unfair how Ashley like never ever needs braces her teeth are so straight! Angel too!"

She then tells him. "I'm afraid I'll need them I hear it hurts."

Abby looks behind her and sees a man with a hose spraying near the pool and back door yelling. "Go away pigeons no one likes you!"

Shauna says. "It looks like he's coming in."

"Who wants ice cream!"

Everyone in the clubhouse raises their hands. Abby looks around her and then raises hers.

"Then get a job and buy some! Mwha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Omigosh what's with him? So he's Dean's dad huh? Who trolls their kid and his friends like that?

Everyone stands up and Abby typed notes into her phone. Just in case she forgets anything we're recording it anyway.

I tell Shauna, "I hate having so many instructions I like taking them one at a time."

"Me too!"

A boy whispers to Abby, "Did you know Angel has girls for friends? Girls play dressup apps like LoveNikki and smell weird and aren't as strong as us men! My uncle says dye morphing is why we're so much stronger and smarter than them!"

Abby rolls her eyes like she's waiting for the shelves to fall down. "Ugh. You know you made fun of your mom right?"

He looks down at his shoes, huffs like he feels bad and looks up. "I didn't think of that."

"And putting others down just to feel better is just so wrong!"

Shauna sounds worried telling her. "Abby remember where you are!"

Abby's eyes move side to side. "Unless they deserve it, which we decide!"

Dean tells her proudly. "Well yeah!"

Ryan then stands up bounces on his toes beaming a naughty smile.

"Remember people we're gonna use our finstas commenting that Angel kissed everyone! Then everyone will make fun of him forever!"

"And we're going to have a party! The new boy will come too and he'll invite everyone but Angel!"

I whisper into the mic. "Umm, Abby? Tell them you can't make it"

"I really can't make it, sorry."

Dean then has a tiny frown. "Fine be that way. We're the cool group you know so if you go to our party you could be cool until the end of time!"

Abby smiles but kind of uncomfortably. Everyone smiles and waves to each other and Abby.


	5. Chapter 4: Bully Issues

The next morning we walk to school because we're lucky our school is kinda close. Me and Angel kinda feel bad for the people waiting in traffic or on a bus.

Winston walks up to us. "Here's a secret thing you can use when they try tarring and feathering you! It'll reflect the tar right back at them!"

Angel looks so happy! "Thanks Winston you're the best!"

"I have to get going to work now. They know I'm gonna be late it's along the 101 tech corridor you know."

Abby meets us like she said.

"We got your DM Abby so they're gonna troll us by walking side by side very slow and take Angel's earbuds out just to ask him stupid questions right?"

"And cutting us in line at lunch."

Jacob then whispers to us. "They're probably watching us right now."

Ahh! A boy just grabbed Angel's earbuds!

He leans forward at my brother, his eyes narrowing and mouth grinning menacingly. "Did you do your homework!"

"Go away!"

"Make me!"

We keep walking faster avoiding him and arrived at school where the air conditioning is always on like way too high, though Jacob and Carlos seem weirdly comfy with it.

Ugh, they're all walking side by side together very slowly!

Carlos shakes his head slowly, his eyes narrow as if someone insulted his weight.

"Can you believe those guys!"

Shauna calls for a huddle. "Okay, here's our plan if it's okay with you guys. Just slide between their legs."

Jacob offers to go first and he makes it. He turns sideways so he doesn't slide into any of them.

One of the bullies yells. "Ha ha weirdo!"

Abby rolls her eyes and tells us. "Whatever."

After we all get past them and down another hall a boy starts doing a weird dance in the middle of the hall making weeooo weeooo sounds.

Someone bumped us ugh do you mind!

Trang in a rushed tone tells us. "Just keep walking trust me! Look behind Angel."

One of those bullies was going to reach into his backpack! The nerve of some people!

We walk into a class and the boy followed us.

The teacher asks us. "What seems to be the problem?"

Angel says. "What problem?"

"You kids look kinda nervous. Are you sure everything's okay?"

Shauna then tells him. "We're good, just going to class."

The teacher then yells to us. "Remember to stay out of trouble kids!"

Oh good we ditched him.

Trang then tells us. "That was so sus! He's usually not that weird."

Angel thanks him and Trang says. "Oh no problem. See you guys later."

It's lunchtime and I haven't seen Angel anywhere? What did those guys just cut us in line and they carried Angel?! Uh uh we aren't having any of this.

Shauna tugs on my sleeve and whispers. "Ryan's recording us!"

I look over and just catch him as he's ducking.

One of the boys says. "Make us!"

Everyone in line is making I'm so mad at you groans because of him.

One of the bullies yells. "Hey that kid cut in line!" pointing to Angel.

I ask others if we're going to stand for this. "Hey you should seriously get to the back!"

Angel runs back to us looking afraid. "Omigosh you guys! They just grabbed me! Gosh I hate those guys so much!"

Abby then tells him. "Don't worry everyone knows you didn't really cut."

She whispers to both of us. "Their clubhouse smelled really really bad!"

A boy walks up to Angel, but Angel ignores him knowing he's part of their plan to bully him.

Angel's been gone for so long I wonder what's happened? We group Snapchat and I remember to keep my volume very low so doesn't catch me. He really doesn't like it whenever we use our phones in class even if it's very very important.

Is Angel crying under the sink? Oh no I hope he's okay! He's resting his head on his knees. Jacob and another boy are trying to make him feel better.

Angel sobs. "I got all this gum in my hair I'll be so ugly if we get it out!"

Jacob tells him warmly. "That's not true! Shauna could join our Snapgroup!"

Abby sends us a selfie with a catfilter and a picture of her cat with a big eye and ear filter to cheer him up. He's laughing a little but is obviously still sad.

Shauna tells him. "Wow, that's like really bad! I have baby oil in my bag hold on I'll be right there!"

I tell her. "You can't go in there it's the boy's room!"

"My gosh you're right! K Jacob, meet me."

She raises her hand and the teacher says. "Okay Shauna make it quick k?"

I start doing my boring schoolwork again. I'm just staring at the smartboard waiting to be called on.

I check my phone again and see Jacob rubbing baby oil on Angel's head. "It's going to be okay bestie! Those no good bullies will pay for this!"

Angel still crying asks. "Can we go to the nurse? And can I wear your hat please?"

"Anything for you my bestie!"

Angel tells me. "I'm going to the nurse's office so I'm turning off my phone. Thanks for being here for me sis."

"No problem brother."

Me and Angel walk home after school ends and we're all so happy to help him undo the prank.

"You guys are the best thank you!" We hug sandwich him.

Isabella walks up to us. "Hey guys! Anything interesting happen today?"

I then tell her everything. Her mouth drops. "Omigosh seriously? Why did it take me this long to know? At least your brother's okay."

At least my brother's okay. I adjust my sunglasses keeping more of the sun out of my eyes. Who says no one walks in this city? The school is close enough anyway and Winston walks with us. Cars and busses are caught in traffic, we can even taste the exhaust.

Isabella then reminds me about our youth league cheer practice. "Are you coming with me to practice?"

"Sorry I can't. We're watching Angel to keep prankers away."

Ahh! I got startled so badly! Dean leaped out of the bushes to throw tar on Angel but Angel pressed his button to reflect it back at him.

Dean's eyes narrow where two lines go between his eyebrows. "You'll pay for this!"

Isabella laughs. "Kay but it was all your fault!"

Dean runs the other way catching up to his friend Ryan.

Me and my friends helping my brother helps us all feel closer together.


	6. Chapter 5: Lindsey Visits

It smells liked mowed lawns which I hate. The exhaust smell really doesn't help. Mom is working at her salon while dad is off doing Overwatch work. We turn the corner but are stopped by Ryan and...a robot?

Ryan looks way too intense it's like he's possessed...that's it! The darkness surrounds him, and what if the other bullies are all possessed too!

I whisper to Isabella. "Careful he's probably possessed by a demon!"

Winston tells me. "Nah he's not possessed he's just a big mean jerk with magic powers."

He has an evil supervillain look on his face, his fingers tapping each other. "I made this robot. You see I'm like you except my powers aren't sealed! My mind made this robot from metal just lying around in my garage!"

Uh oh this is scary! He swings but all dove onto someone's lawn avoiding its arm. People just look but keep driving or walking, being used to all sorts of weird things and people recording for shows.

He smugly yells to us, "so long idiots! You guys will fall to my great intellect!"

I yell back. "Oh yeah if you're so smart then why do you wear a patchy blazer with opposing colors?"

Isabella and I do back handspring stepout then side cartwheels getting away from it. Winston looks for a place to transform without anyone seeing him. Angel ducks his punch and Carlos rolls trying to trip him but he jumped over him. I kick the robot behind the knee, hoping my keds won't break. "Owie!"

"Don't hurt my friends!"

She sounds familiar, omigosh Lindsey's here! She looks so cool! What is she doing up in the lemon gum?

She leaps down throwing these things and hits him with a nunchuck shocking it, and he falls.

Winston comes out in his gorilla form, landing on the robot squashing what's left of him.

Ryan's eyes widen and his arms are way out to his sides with an omigosh I really can't believe that just happened face and stance. He runs away yelling he's done!

A few people cheer for us and one guy yells out the window. "Rehearsing for YouTube?"

Winston yells back to him. "Yeah actually."

Which we weren't. Lying is usually wrong but Winston has a very good reason. That's why I know he's a good friend. I don't know why we're supposed to keep magic secret but the grownups seem to. But if magic is supposed to be kept secret then why doesn't anyone try covering up Santa Clause?

A cop shakes his head, then tilts it and scratches it and walks towards us. "Is that an omnic?"

Jacob tells him. "Umm, no sir! It was just junk used for special effects. Yeah that's it, special effects!"

He squats down going through the pile finding no electronics. "Huh, I don't know what you kids were doing but you guys are like so talented!"

I thank Lindsey and ask her if she'd like to visit. "You mean I can come to your house? Thank you so much!"

Winston walks us to his car and puts his human disguise back on. He tells me. "I won't be here over the weekend. I hope you understand."

Because Lena is so much cooler than us! "It's Lena isn't it?"

I wonder if he talks about Tracer to me the way he always talks about how wonderful she is to us?

"Not this time! We have reports of missing people in France. The tea is it's either vampires or aliens."

Jacob gasps, looks out the window then back at me and Angel. "What if it's, alien vampires!"

I can hear Lindsey's music from her phone and I can tell Winston knows she can't hear because he wouldn't be talking about this if she could hear.

Winston laughs, "I wouldn't doubt it. Anyway I gotta keep my spaceship secret so my ship will look like a pigeon when me and Jack land at chateau Gilliard. "

We get home and she looks so happy after seeing my pool.

She blinks looking out our sliding door. "You guys have a pool! This is gonna be so fun can I swim with you guys?"

"Mom can Lindsey borrow one of my bathing suits please!"

She squats down whispering to me calling me over away from Lindsey. "That girl smells worse than a dumpster. Like I know she's your friend but still."

I look into her eyes, pouting. "Please mom?" and blink twice slowly, this is very important to me.

Okay you can let her borrow one but she's taller than you so give her one from the stuff I got you that you're supposed to grow into."

"Thanks"

"Lindsey! We're going swimming!"

Her face light up with happiness.

I tell her. "You are no match for my ultimate swimming power!"

She giggles running. "Hey no fair cheater."

We dive in the medium end and swim back to the shallow end so mom won't be mad at us.

She tells me after we dive. "Good thing we didn't eat yet! I feel so clean! Let's go to the deep end!"

Mom yells. "You better not!"

We race to the don't swim past here rope and of course we win.

So how did Lindsey know how to beat Ryan's machine? "It was so cool how you beat Ryan's machine earlier! How'd you do it?"

"Well, the omnics and us shantytown people go way back as sworn enemies. Elder says they came out of nowhere destroying everything. She even showed me videos from her phone of it happening."

My brother is wearing a navy blue bathing suit with yellow duckies on it. "Don't forget me!"

He cannonballs, the water shoots straight up after like a couple of seconds. He spits water out onto the concrete.

Angel tells her. "That was so cool how you beat Ryan's stupid robot!"

Hmm, I know that smirk! Like she's gonna tell me she knows a secret I don't want her to know. I hope she didn't hear mom saying she smells like a dumpster. "You guys are magic aren't you?"

Ohhhh, yeah this is awkward! Even if she didn't help Winston would have easily beating that thing anyway. "Umm no we were just..."

"I saw him use his mind to make that thing and I've seen people using powers before. It's okay your secret is safe with me."

I hate having my powers sealed.

We go inside for dinner and Lindsey looks really happy to be eating with us. It makes me feel warm inside having such a nice friend.

We eat rice with turmeric chicken. Wow Lindsey's eating fast she must have been hungry!

She chugs her glass of water. "Wow this water tastes so clean and cold!"

I've always wondered. "Who do you live with?"

"Oh, just mom and dad's friends. My dad died and mom hasn't come back yet. I have to tell them I'm here."

"Still?"

Lindsey looks down twisting her noodles, her head on her hand. "Yeah. I know she's out there I just know it!"

Angel looks at his ipad. "Our dad is gone for like months sometime and he always comes back to us!"

Angel then looks up to mom. "Oh you wouldn't believe what happened at school today! These boys were walking really slow in the hallway so we all slid between their legs and Trang saved me from being pickpocketed this boy was being weird and Trang told us to ignore him and run and ugh!"

He bites his orange slice then continues. "Anyway this boy Dean keeps wanting to make me look bad and get everyone to hate me because he's jealous of me and all my friends helped me against that stupid bully!"

Mom tells him. "Well I'm glad you and your friends took care of it."

I check my Instagram and what!? I'm banned! "There's like, no way!"

Angel checks his too and his jaw drops and he starts crying. Mom hugs him and tells him. "It's okay get over here and let it all out!"

I feel hot tears too. I run to the couch and my face slams into the pillow. I kick my feet behind me and mom says, petting the back of my head and back. "It's okay we'll get through this. What do you think happened Ashley?"

"I think stupid Dean or one of his little rats told on us to Instagram you have to be 13 to make an account there but we're only 8!"

"Lindsey is waiting you know!"

I go back into the kitchen and I grab a tissue wiping my face.

Lindsey looks kinda sad too, twisting her fork into one of her chicken slices. "At least you have a mom still. I mean that's too bad about your Instagram."

We hug each other, her hand moving gently up and down my back.

Mom takes the watermelon sherbet out of the freezer and Lindsey happily yells. "Yay ice cream time!"

I give mom a yay I'm feeling better smile but I'm only pretending. I'm still sad because I'm still banned from Instagram for being younger than 13.

It is delicious ice cream though, and Lindsey and I are becoming better friends. She says she was just in the neighborhood but I feel like she wanted to see us again or maybe she wants more candy?

After ice cream mom talks to her outside but asks us to not follow them. They come back and mom tells us, "I'm taking her to the park where her umm, family will pick her up."

"Why can't they pick her up here?"

Her eyes go back and forth, like she's looking at a bug who's jumping from one wall to the other really fast. "Oh, well, because I wanna bring all you guys with me!"

She could have asked us. Lindsey grabs her phone, which was charging on our table.

I ask mom. "If me or Angel went missing like Lindsey's mom would you try finding us?"

She squats down, petting the side of my head so she moves my pigtail behind my ear. "Oh sweetie of course I would! Winston, Shauna's parents, , and your father would all help me you know!"

I tell Judith everything that happened.

"Wow if only I was there with you!" She sighs and continues. "If only being an omnic didn't mean I had to hide all the time. I was made being told my function even though it wasn't what I wanted for myself. I don't wanna hurt anyone I wanna help people, omnic or human!"

She flutters sitting on the edge of my desk. I can see more of her wings in my vanity mirror.

"Me and my brother were so sad when we got banned from Instagram but then mom brought ice cream out for us but we have to bring Lindsey back we're going to the park with her."

We're walking along a walkway and could actually walk here. Shauna's here too!

"Hi Shauna!"

"Hey Ash. I see you and Angel got banned from Instagram."

"Yeah."

She looks down at her shoes then back up. My big brother can help you guys!"

"Dominique?"

I hug her, putting my cheek up to her slightly on my tippy toes. "Thanks you're the best!"

At least I'm not banned from Band. I swear I'm gonna get back to my team I am captain after all. I will not miss practice tomorrow either. And we still have Snapchat, and we told Trang he could come over so we can all practice our instruments together.

I freeze, feeling light shaking as a truck screeches out of nowhere. I feel myself slowly breathing in and out and I hate being startled, so, much!

I hear a man yell from his rusty red truck, smelling like it pollutes too much. "Hey Lindsey we're going home!"

She runs to the truck, looks back to us waving bye. "Bye and thanks for everything!"

Mom scans her phone next to the guy's and tells him. "I'm sorry you had to come all the way down here so here's some gas money."

He tips his dirty baseball cap with dirt and oil stains and tells mom. "Thanks ma'am."

He turns to Lindsey. "What were you doing all the way out here! You're like so lucky your bike didn't get stolen or break down all the way the..." a car honks over him swearing "ck down here! It's a dangerous world out there for anyone never mind an 8 year old kid!"

Oooo he said a bad word he he! It's seriously so weird how so many people you'd think would swear on cartoons don't. But who says everything has to be realistic? Like doing cheer stunts beating up bad guys isn't realistic like at all but I think it's pretty cool.

They pull out of their parking space waving to us.

Poor guy, I'm pretty sure he'd clean his clothes if he had a laundromat or at least detergent near him.

"Wait, she rode her bike here?"

Mom puts her hand on me and Angel's shoulders. Then she walks to Jayla and whispers to her like we can't even hear here. "I didn't want whoever was bringing Lindsey home to know where we live. She's from the Shantytown and I don't want our house getting hit."

Jayla tells her. "It's a shame really. If people running everything weren't so greedy and out of touch then you wouldn't have these tent cities and shantytowns everywhere! You gotta do what you can to survive, it's a whole different world for them."

She looks at a gum tree sipping her tea. "And we're still not over the omnics attacking us. I mean those walking sci fi clichés think we owe them!"

We get in our cars and they go with us. Jacob Carlos Abby and Trang are waiting for us. I just wish my bestie Isabella would play with us.

Trang's hands are behind his back, slowly walking towards us with focus in his eyes. "Ok like I know not all of us had good days but like we really gotta practice our instruments!"

I grab my lefty guitar, made for someone as small as me and Trang has his bass and my brother has his guitar.


	7. Chapter 6: Visiting Lindsey

Chapter 6: Visiting Lindsey

Yay not only is it the weekend but we're going to visit Lindsey! Like I know she lives in like a really poor neighborhood but we should be safe with Genji Rein Jayla Mondatta and Shifu joining us. They hate omnics more than I hate broccoli so Judith stays behind. Besides mom can't know we're hiding her. I'm so proud of my brother for saving her.

I hear mom facetime with dad and he tells her. "Hello! Soldier and Winston are in Paris investigating missing people from a shantytown. This time there aren't any signs of omnic wrongdoing, well this time anyway."

We pack food and water into Shauna's car like we're going camping in the desert. We bring long sleeves just in case we stay long. My stomach flutters, I think it's because I can't wait to see my friend.

Mom enthusiastically says to us. "You better go now if we're gonna beat the church traffic! It is Sunday after all."

Shauna's mom talks to us while driving. "Malik has a terrible drive to Silicon Beach, the 405 is so awful! And Mercy coming over, with an Overwatch plane modified where she won't get shot down over America."

We pick up Carlos and his dad tells him in a pretend disappointed tone. "Aww who's gonna help me mow the lawn and garden? Anyway have fun with your new friend!"

Carlos with a nervous curiosity ask. "Isn't this car too nice for a shantytown."

"Yep that's why I'm going to use Winston's disguise device so it looks like it's beat up!"

We then pick up Isabella, Jacob, Abby, and Trang.

Abby tells us about her martial arts practice and soccer while Carlos tells us about his online games.

We pass by the Galleria and drive north while Jacob and Angel talk to each other. Shauna thinks the trees on the little island in the middle of the road are pretty.

We keep going and cut through a Jack in the Box and take a left seeing lots of pretty trees bushes and houses when you can actually see them. "Hey girls this is your cheer coach! You're like the best youth league flyers like ever so please come to practice with me!"

Isabella tells her. "We're really sorry for missing practice but we could really use the rest!"

She sighs then makes a tsk sound and tells us. "Well if you girls aren't gonna show up for practice then I'll just have to kick you off the team. You don't want your futures ruined do you?"

Me and Isabella shake our heads no. Aliyah joins us and she waves hi to us.

Angel ask her. "What does fix your credit mean?"

Jayla responds. "Oh you don't have to worry about that they're just trying to finesse people out of their money."

Isabella looks at me as we're going under the freeway. "I'm afraid of underpasses it's like everything over us could fall!"

I tell her. "I feel the same way."

Jacob gulps moving his shirt collar. "Me too!"

There's light yay! Jayla says. "Looks like we made it out safely!"

Uh...oh! There's a big fence. Jayla says. "Good thing I changed it to a shanty car!"

We answer questions and they let us through, knowing we aren't undercover cops.

Abby looks left out her window across the street. "Wow there's like so much dirt and dead trees!"

"I know right!"

Jacob copies me. "I know right!"

I have an idea! "Let's play count the doggies!"

"Let's play count the doggies!"

"Jacob! Stop copying me!"

"No."

He kicks my seat.

"Jacob! Stop!"

Jacob continues, of course. "I'm the best cheerleader in the world!"

Okay he is kinda funny. "No, you, aren't! I...and Isabella are okay? Like, literally we aren't just saying that you can look it up."

Abby then teases us. "Yeah for Youth League."

Jacob clears his throat probably getting reader for another one of his made up stories. "There I was, tumbling towards my bases doing front handsprings and round offs and flipping onto them and I tuck and spin then at the toss's peak I did a triple full! Can you guys believe it!"

I say. "Nope!"

Jacob says. "Aww come on you guys know I was joking right?"

Isabella then tells him. "Like the time you finding a unicorn under your bead was a joke?"

Angel then yells. "Trang's picking his nose!"

"No I'm not I was just scratching."

Jayla does not sound happy! "Are you kids going to settle down or should I head back right now?"

I tell her. "We'll behave!"

Wow it really looks like a meteor slammed into this place! I wonder what happened? Lindsey went past all this to get to my neighborhood?

I ask. "How did Lindsey get this far!?"

Jayla says. "She didn't take the freeway I can tell you that much but it's so not safe for anyone to go that far alone never mind an 8 year old! She probably took light rail, it is the 2060's after all."

Jayla points at a car and tells us. "That's an undercover cop car. You can tell because of the line of lights in the back window and the CA exempt plates. So are you guys excited for our trip?"

Shauna says. "Yeah! Ashley and I are gonna make Lindsey so happy!"

Yay we're here no more sitting! It looks like a dump I wonder what happened here? I see so many houses and apartments that are either destroyed or you can just tell they used to be there.

Angel taps my shoulder and points. "Look there's a jackrabbit hiding in that ratty boxy car's shade."

Carlos notices. "It smells like dust and oil so bad!"

Yay it's Lindsey! We hug each other and I tell her. "Omigosh I'm so glad you're okay!"

"I'm so glad you're here! Between you and me I'm afraid because so many people are missing."

We go to a yard stepping over where a fence used to be and it looks like a cinderblock fort with a slide and ladder.

I tell Lindsey. "Wow I really like how it's painted like the sky! Wow you even added the teeny little bit of pink at the top!"

Linsey smiles. "Thanks! I helped paint it you know!"

Jayla tells me. "That shade of pink is called cerise."

"Wow thanks!"

I can tell there used to be a school here, the schoolyard kinda gives it away. White lines are drawn for volleyball baseball and tetherball poles are still up.

Lindsey grabs the kickball. "Does anyone wanna play? Me and my friends swept up all the broken glass and metal for us! Wasn't that nice of them?"

Carlos tells her. "Wow you did all that! Sorry for your chores, this yard is big!"

Abby Trang Shauna Abby and Jacob do so I also raise my hand. "Me!"

We're careful not to run into the cracked pavement. This is way better than those places built for kids. I hate how suffocating they feel.

After a short round of kickball, which we win because Abby is super talented and treats everything like a competition Lindsey takes us on a tour. There are stacks of boxy cars without wheels, but you can tell they're supposed to have them. Are hovercars illegal because speed bumps don't matter to them?

I hear random yelling. Hey, wait, are they yelling at us?

"My area, go on! Shoo!"

He sees Lindsey. "Oh, sorry didn't know they were with you, sorry!"

He then scratches his grayish white beard and slaps his dusty hat against a rusty boxed car. "Please don't tell me you went out to America again, alone!"

"But I had to!"

Wait, I'm confused. My mind feels so spinny.

Angel whispers to Jayla. "Isn't this America?"

"Yeah but shantytowns believe they're their own country. They may as well be though."

Lindsey tells him. "I sure have! I needed to get us all candy, remember?"

Lindsey then tells us. "He drives a truck bringing ocean water back so we can boil it clean."

We keep walking and we see what's left of a strip mall.

People don't seem to care about empty formalities here. No passive aggressive Mr. or Ms. corrections here, no back and forth hi's when just being there to play is hi enough. I swear people can be way too fake in my neighborhood.

I squat with Lindsey near half a sidewalk square. "Lindsey, have I ever told you how cool this place is!"

She has her seriously face. "I like that you like my neighborhood but people are hungry so much. Besides, you have a pool."

"Yeah I'm still not allowed in the deep end without floaties and mom watching me!"

I hand her a water bottle. "Sorry if I bothered you it's just, you seem so free!"

"Not really, I wish though. I have to be home at a certain time or else my family worries about me."

Jacob then says. "Sometimes my family worries about me too. I'm out late so much, but that's mostly Angel's fault."

He blinks a couple of times and his mouth hangs. "Wha?!"

Omigosh is he serious?

Wonder what Carlos wants. "Look at all those pigeons!"

Dad hates them so much but they're so cute!

We get up and run across the street, but look both ways, and there's a box with a Soldier doll! I can't reach down that far. I leap, my hands on top of it and I fall into the box but I got the doll! I toss it to Isabella and leap so it's easier for me to pull myself out of the box. Good thing I missed cheer otherwise my shoulders would be too sore. We start walking...wait who's yelling? Not again!

"You kids don't look like you're from around here!"

He's tall with scraggly hair and Isabella tosses the doll to Trang. He runs away on top of garbage, but he trips! The tall guy almost catches up to him but he tosses the doll to Angel.

"You get back here! I swear you kids are so lucky the cops never ever come here!"

Angel throws Isabella the doll and she stops because a truck is going by. The guy looks like he's going to grab the doll and she tosses it across the street. I catch it just before it falls.

Uh oh he's catching up! I see a random playground tube just lying there next to half a house and its neighbor completely gone, with just dust where it used to be. I slide my way in where he can't reach me.

"Give it back it isn't funny! Back in my day the valley was suburbs from hill to hill but now it's like only half that way I watched as the desert took back the valley you know!"

I've heard that before.

I yell to him "Finders keepers losers weepers!"

"You don't understand I really need that! I haven't bathed in like 3 days and you go into my home and steal from me?"

"That junkyard didn't look like a home to me! Stop being such a grumpybear just because I found it first mister!"

I hear Jayla. "Shauna told me you guys found a doll and...who's this?"

"She stole my doll!"

"I see you trying to hide it Ashley."

I see her peaking in so I nod, crawl out, and give her the doll. I don't even care if the fierce valley sun will give me a weird tan, I feel way too crowded in here. Besides Jayla will keep us safe.

The man sniffs, his eyes watering. I can tell it isn't the valley heat. "Way back when omnics attacked this valley Overwatch saved us! Jack Morrison saved my life and the doll reminds me of him! He saved my daughter after her mom died because of stupid robots and I gave her up for adoption. So yeah your little keepaway game isn't funny you know!"

Jayla looks at me with her I'm disappointed in you face so I hand him back the doll and give him a water bottle. Shauna glares at Isabella trying to sneak something else into her bag but she shyly hands the man the thing.

He squats near the curb and I put my hand on his back. "There there mister it's okay I thought you pretended it was yours."

Lindsey then tells me. "People lost so much when those wars happened. Just because these don't look like real houses to you doesn't mean you can take from us."

Everything looks so messy and what's that twisted bike doing there in that huge pile of rubble? Even I could ride it. That is if it still worked.

We walk back to Jayla's car, removing the sunshield from the water bottles and refilling in our metal containers. We walk past literally tons of bird scooters, boxy cars, couches, chairs, and wow this place smells, I feel so bad for Lindsey.

Trang slurps. "Hmm I needed that."

Jacob tells him. "You said it! Fall in New York is usually so cold we wear long sleeves, even during the day."

Jayla tells us she's taking Shauna for a tour.

Isabella and Jacob show us so many pics they've taken of the shanty.

An old lady walks to us and Lindsey runs to her hugging her. "You're back elder!"

She pats Lindsey on her shoulder. "You missed me didn't you?"

Lindsey nods yes. "I wanna show you my new friends!"

"Oh aren't you all just the cutest! Lindsey was so lucky running into you guys!"

She sits on a DIY bench and smiles at Lindsey. "Notice anything different about them?"

She sighs. "Yeah, people don't seem to care about each other as much like they're all just for themselves."

The elder grins wider. "That's right. We don't need strange people who we'll never ever meet acting like our bosses. Besides they tell their people to be afraid of us and blame all their problems on us."

Abby then tells her. "Yeah the same with the omnics."

The Elder's eyes narrow at Abby. "Don't you get me started on those tin cans miss!"

She sighs looking down. "But I'm afraid we'll need their help.

Overwatch is why we're even alive and they said Genji and Mondatta would help. There was another."

Her chin falls on her hand, her finger tapping her cheek. "Hmm, oh yeah there was another Zenyatta. But he needs to enter a deep state of..."

She's snorts, obviously trying not to laugh but thinking what she's saying's silly. "Enlightenment to help us with our problem."

Elder ask us to come with her to the school so we do. There's a metal sign that says valley testing center on the floor and lots of umbrellas and tables peaking up from the ground. I can see the sky through big holes in the ceiling.

Elder jokes, "See we don't even need to walk to the courtyard to see the sky. So many of us live here. We rebuilt what we could after the omnic attacks."

Shauna and Jayla meet us and Jayla says. "Sorry, we just needed a walk."

How much walking do you even need?

She looks at us all. "Excuse us. Shauna was it? I hope you and your squad doesn't mind but your mother and I have to talk, it's very important."


	8. Chapter 7: Ready to Slay Vampires

Chapter 7: Ready to Slay Alien Vampires!

We all go to the auditorium where we sit in a circle on the floor. It looks kinda weird without chairs. Then our bald friend and an omnic walk in.

"We're here ma'am!"

I excitedly yell to him. "Hey Mister Baldie! We aren't gonna play those games where Abby always wins are we?"

Jacob then says, laughing. "Yeah you're so bald I can see what's on your mind!"

He looks down and isn't crying. He squats down talking to us, smirking. Uh oh, I'm scared, he looks like he's gonna roast us back, hard! "I shave my head because as a monk I need to transcend all Earthly desires. I dedicate myself to reaching enlightenment. In Buddha's day being bald was shameful so it reminds us of our humility. So little girl pigtails mean girliness and you little boy, I can so tell you don't even comb that mess you call your hair under that hat."

Shauna then whispers to us. "He's got us there."

She then ask him. "What's humility?"

Then Angel ask. "Yeah I mean what's so shameful about being bald? I love all my hair but I don't think there's anything wrong with..."

Trang's mouth and eyebrows lightly droop looking at my brother. "Seriously? You were literally just laughing with the rest of us."

Jayla says, "We have reports saying people have gone missing here. Gosh I hope it's not Moira again. Talon just loves kidnapping from these places.

His robot friend interrupts. "We're here! You were right it was vampires. We can't attack them yet so we have to wait for them."

Where's Lindsey going! I run after her. "Lindsey!"

Jayla runs after Shauna too.

I hear her she must have gone that way! "Lindsey this isn't funny!"

I hear crying, I open the door and there are stacks of chairs pieces of white board and smart board glass and dust everywhere.

"What's wrong Lindsey?"

She sits farther back her head even farther back on her knees.

"I'm not telling they're obviously with you."

"Oh come on! I don't know the robot but Abby trains with the other guy. What's wrong?"

She sniffs, her cheek now rest on her knees.

I look into her reddening eyes, "It hurts my feelings that you're keeping secrets from me I thought we were friends!"

Lidsey wipes a tear from her face, her nose widens a little, her pout goes away but I can tell she's still sad. "If you really wanna know vampires got so many of my friends! And they're from outer space and I'm afraid mom got bit and that's why she isn't with me anymore. And that omnic did the Elder really call him?"

I sit with her, putting my arm around her. "It's going to be okay Lindsey you have us and the Elder! She cares about you. If he was a bad robot then the Elder wouldn't trust him right?"

"Yeah but it just isn't the same, you know?"

I hear loud fast steps in the hallway. Lindsey says. "This way."

We go inside a closet and I don't believe it they're growing food. But the voice sounds familiar. "Ashley! Lindsey! Where are you?!"

"Come on we miss you!"

It's Isabella and Jacob!

We come back out.

Isabella tells me. "Thank goodness you're okay! We don't know what we'd do without you guys. Why were you in a closet?"

Lindsey tells her. "Oh nothing."

We go back to the auditorium and Abby Carlos Trang and Angel are laughing at a Youtube video.

Hmm, there's a soccer ball, Abby's really talented in that game, or we can just talk about vampires for the rest of the day. Well it is my responsibility as cheer captain to organize everyone so me and Isabella post on Band telling them we'll be at practice tomorrow we promise.

After talking for like 100 hours the robot walks over to my brother and hands him his guitar.

My brother ask him. "It was Trang's idea wasn't it? I feel bad for missing all those practices but really Trang now's not the time!"

"It was your dad's idea Angel. You're gonna need this. We have reason to believe vampires are behind the missing people here. It is up to us to stop the vampires okay? So I'm going to have to unlock your powers."

Jacob has a big happy grin on his face, his eyes crinkling. "You mean we're getting our powers unlocked?" He starts singing. "Woo hoo! I got my powers! I got my powers!"

The robot tells us. "I'm Mondatta by the way."

He puts his hands on all of our heads unlocking our powers. It's been so long I almost forgot what it's like having powers. I don't even think I saw my brother's special power yet.

Omigosh I feel so cool right now and not in the wow 7-Eleven really needs to stop freezing us to death way either by turning on the AC too much either. I'm feeling so giddy right now I can just stunt all day like this! I glow purple doing front and back handsprings, flips, and round offs. Isabella glares at me frowning crossing her arms, I hope I didn't make her mad or jealous of my powers.

I run around Jayla and the monk happily yelling. "Omigosh do you know what this means? I can easily help my team win by doing super fulls do you even know how many spins I could do?"

Isabella then says. "We'll lose points or even get in trouble if you do too many spins though."

"Aww come on don't ruin my fun please!"

I frontflip and raise my hands in a Y. "Ta da!"

Shauna gives me a I like you but you're kind of annoying look. "We have to get ready to fight vampires soon! People have gone missing and it's because of them."

Shauna thinks she's such a grownup, like Trang. I back tuck but oh what's this teal light in front of me? I hit the wall but don't get hurt.

Shauna smiles. "It's my shield spell. I hope you like it!"

Jacob just cools his tea and tempeh with his ice powers, which you can tell they cooked in peanut oil. I like it.

Angel ask Lindsey what's wrong and she says. "Why didn't he give me any powers it's not fair!" She throws a cracker across the room. I watch it roll to a custodian's closet.

Shifu squats down telling her. "I'm sorry but you're a muggle. We didn't give them powers but only unlocked them. You can still help even if you have no super powers."

We train for a little while but not too hard because we need the energy to slay vampires. I hope this isn't going to be as bad as when we all went to the omnic part of town.

Hmm, so how do we defeat the vampires? Singing probably isn't going to work. I don't think throwing water at them will help either.

I hear loud metal footsteps. "Hello everyone! Your knight has arrived! I really love the weather here! You like have no idea how cold it gets in Germany."

I tell him. "Just wait until it gets dark out! My phone says it's gonna be a low of 63."

Rein's shoulders slump, "I guess that's not too bad. Even if it's a teensy bit cool."

Jayla whispers, "Yay he knows American temperatures."

Genji says, "I am honored you called me over. Say, where's Mercy? Her staff could come in very handy!"

Isabella looks very interested. "Ooooh is she your girlfriend Genji?"

He looks down, "I'm ace you know. I used to be het but then I lost my body because my stupid brother is such a big mean jerk and I hate him! Zenyatta is coming so we have to hold the vampires until he gets here and can dust everyone with his holy light."

Jayla moves her hand in a circle telling us all to gather around and she turns on her tablet. Girard and Jack are fighting vampires, in France!

Alien vampires of all kinds stare at Jack. It looks like they're all in a French shanty. "Mwha ha ha ha ha we have turned our entire galaxy into vampires! Your puny Earth is nothing to us!"

Jack then yells at him. "Oh please this city has seen way worse than the likes of you!"

Reinhart sighs, "I know exactly what he means too."

A huge raptor vampire leaps at Soldier but he just explodes into dust!

Girard looks up somewhere, "I knew you could do it Amille! I don't know where we'd be without Ana and her silver bullet idea."

Then they try attacking Jack Winston and Girard but they stake more vampires. Oh no I hope Winston's gonna be okay! I yell at her screen. "You can do it buddy! Please don't die!" He shakes and turns bigger! He grabs a couple of stakes and pushes back more vampires. Then Mercy flies over and she attaches a yellow beam to the vampires making them explode into dust!

A centipede vampire explodes into lots of tiny little snakes! Girard runs away "Eww I do not like ze snakes!"

Defeating that gross thing is like competing, even if you win you feel sick and shaky.

Soldier then says. "Ok Jayla you can stop watching us we have everything covered here."

She tells him. "That was so cool how Winston and Mercy saved everyone!"

While that's happening a girl cries to the Elder. "My friend made fun of my fridge!"

The Elder holds her. "You've come to the right place dear. Hide downstairs and you know you're lucky to have a fridge right?"

We still aren't ready to attack yet so we go into the secret area and I see dirty dishwater.

I look back seeing the Elder standing over me. "Ashley what are you doing?"

"I'm helping Lindsey with the dishes!"

Instead of all the dirty water going down what looks like a locker room drain it splashes on all of us!

I put my hands over my mouth without thinking. I look at Isabella then Angel then Jayla. "Umm, sorry?"

Elder looks down at me with her hands on her hips, "Ashley, didn't drain it right."

Which I already knew. I don't think I have a talent for draining dishwater though. Good thing the drain is on the floor, all this water would be too heavy for me to lift.

Shauna then says. "Why did I even come here?"

"Because you're my friend!"

Shauna smiles. "Oh yeah! Don't worry Lindsey we'll keep you safe!"

Lindsey sits down resting her head on her knees. "Ashley, can I tell you something?"

I whisper. "What?"

"Why don't I have any powers it's not fair!"

Shifu brings Angel his guitar. "This guitar isn't just any guitar, it's a magical focus! Mercy's staff, Genji's sword, and Soldier's gun are focuses too."

Angel ask him. "Thanks Shifu!"

He looks at Trang. "No I'm not practicing today before you ask."

He playfully tells him back. "You will one of these days."

Angel then looks back at Shifu. "Don't you get a focus?"

"No, I'm not really magic but I am a monk. I am spiritually advanced enough to slay them without stakes or magic you know."

Mondatta yells. "Me too! But unlike you I actually have magic."

Mondatta then looks down to me. "I heard you're very talented using tonfa."

"Thanks."

We are handed weapons and I'm handed a stake which I hold in my left and a tonfa which I hold in my right because Shifu says it's a defensive weapon and Abby gets a hanbo staff. She says she's been training very hard with one and it's sharpened at one end so it's like a long stake. Carlos gets a wand because his power is fire so he's like a real wizard while we need to hit things, Trang gets a stake, and Jacob gets nunchucks for his focus and a stake, just in case. I really don't like pointy things but vampires won't slay themselves.

Shauna looks kinda nervous but excited too. "This feels like it's gonna be quite an adventure! Just like one of those action movies my big brother would love!"

I hear fairy wings fluttering and a light sparkle, no it died down I'm just hearing things Judith couldn't come with us like Angel wanted. But why can Mondatta and Genji come here? It's obvious they're robots and they hate robots here.

Jacob ask Angel if he wants to see him practice.

"Sure. Show us what you got."

He glares meanly at nothing in particular. He steps back his left foot with his left hand forward and his right hand to his side and his elbow bent. Then he stands up with his fist up. Jacob says, "Oof!" Then he looks over his shoulder just holding a weird wink.

Trang ask him in a you're so weird voice. "Umm, what are you doing Jacob? You aren't even moving!"

Jacob says. "I'm practicing my cool poses. Which was the best? Huh huh huh! Oh come on please someone tell me!"

Abby tells him, "You're such an idiot Jacob."

We put our heels on the wall grab our foot and put our faces up to them for 20 seconds. Carlos tells us. "Aww come on why I always end up on these adventures with you guys?"

Shauna tells him. "The real adventure is fighting vampires, you're scared aren't you?"

Then we all do duck walks and monkey jumps. Mondatta crosses his arms and tells us to frog jump up and down the stairs.

Carlos is sweating like a pig and he huffs, "Gosh I'm so tired."

Poor Carlos. He wouldn't be having so much trouble if he didn't stuff his face all the time.

Shifu smiles at him. "Hard work and dedication pays off."

The Elder gives us tea, we kids get decaf because too much caffeine isn't good for us at our age.

I take a sip and, "Woah that's a lot of ginger!"

I help by making my mom's yucky proof special sauce with chili oil and sesame oil. I wonder if this wok was leftover from when the school was still a school? I wonder how Lindsey and elder feel living in an abandoned school?

Elder smiles pouring our tea. "My special decaf green and ginger mix."

Lindsey stands on a stepstool and excitedly ask. "Can I help with the buckwheat?"

The elder smiles a little, like a pretend smile. "But Lindsey last time you helped they came out all mushy!"

She looks up clasping her hands. "Please o pretty please with sugar on top!"

"Oh all right you can help me cook."

I offer the monk a bit of my food and he likes it.

The elder then says. "Seriously guy I literally just opened it for my sauce I don't get to make them that often you know."

Trang then speaks. "I'm afraid too everyone, but certain people need to not let it get to them." He narrow eyed Carlos at certain people.

Carlos then says. "Do I have to be here? There are bloodthirsty alien vampires..." He looks at everyone then yells. "from space!"

Lindsey laughs then says. "Yeah I still wanna help you guys. And I love how you're not judging me for talking with my mouth full."

I wouldn't dream of it friend.

She drinks grape juice swallowing her noodles. "Burp. Ahh so when do we fight vampires? I can lay traps like I have in my room! Please!"

Reinhart then lets out a loud satisfied belch and Jacob stands to high five him because he's like way super mega ultra tall. Grownup prediction bot says I'll be 4'10" or 147cm when I grow up.

The elder says. "Like your meals I see."

She looks over to Lindsey. "I think you better stay safe with us."

I really wanna spend more time with my new friend. I didn't come here to fight vampires although getting my powers back is so cool! "But Lindsey can help us! Please!"

Shauna's mom says with an annoyed tone. "No but me Rein Genji and Mondatta will be here with you guys we're witches too you know."


	9. Chapter 8: The Battle has just Begun!

The sun is down and animals clank random trash lying around. People talk about how the police were called all the time from the power outage so long ago when people could see stars in the sky. Sounds so silly if you ask me. There's a huge fort but we can't get in there yet.

Jayla tells us, "Okay the vampires spread out more so they can feed but just invading their base would be too dangerous. Okay, Ashley your job is running between our different groups, Rein Shauna Jayla and Carlos form a group and Angel Isabella Genji and Abby form another. Mondatta has Trang Shifu and Jacob in his squad."

I hope I won't be alone too often. Like the broken sign lying on the street says no stopping any time. I don't wanna be towed away by anyone. I feel my pulse starting to get higher. I'll start off in Angel's group because my brother and bestie are in it.

The others have left and run down the streets, I hope only the vampires trip on the pieces of street and wood lying everywhere. And you will not believe how many vampires there are! There's a huge grayish blue scorpion person wearing a black cape and red bowtie.

"Hmm it's been awhile since I fed on anything."

Isabella charges a pink light on her two longest fingers and aims it at him.

"Aaagh! You dare interrupt me feeding you stupid brats!"

Then a human and jackrabbit vampire come out! Thank goodness the guy got away from them. Poor man is so scared I hope he'll be okay.

The scorpion tries hitting Genji with his tail but he's too quick. The jackrabbit is hitting Genji but the end of my brother's guitar glows dark red and shoots it at the rabbit guy. He's much slower now and...yay I'm glowing purple! I jump really high, seeing Abby block the human's punches and ducking his kicks. He's taller so she stays close keeping him from using his full power.

Genji tells me. "Don't glow too much, you're going to need to save your magic for later."

But it's fun!

Abby trips him with her staff after he tries squatting uppercutting her then she leaps staking him into gray dust and sparklies.

Abby has her our team is ahead mostly because of me look on her face. She puts her staff on her shoulders twisting but calmly. "See? There's nothing to it."

Also while that went on Genji kicked the jackrabbit in the stomach, tiger clawed his face while kicking him behind the knee and stakes him.

At the peak of my jump I tuck and launch myself into the scorpion. I hit him a few times with my tonfa and...aaah omigosh, I'm shaking that tail was so scary! Good thing I can jump over it. My tonfa hits him in the face and I use the stake in my left hand and stab him in the heart.

Genji congratulates me. "I know right he was so scary! I bet there'll be more like him you'll see!"

I go through a maze of streets and tall shanties and Shifu's there. He punches and kicks without any glowy magic and dusted a human vampire.

Mondatta says. "It's nice to see you here but we're doing fine so far."

I walk past pieces of broken wall with graffiti, feeling a chill up my spine. I look behind me and to both sides. I have good vision near the end of my eyes so I look for things that way. I'd probably give myself away too much if I move my head. Even if I did see something which I know I will then they'll know I'm here because they'll feel like they're being watched.

Uh oh there's a rhino vampire so high up on that roof! I glow and jump that high, I tuck jump and launch myself at him doing a triple full at him but he got out of the way. He doesn't realize how lucky he is, even if he's like a billion times bigger than me.

Ooooh I can tell he's so mad from what he's yelling! "Get back here you..." loud clanky stomp, "ing little brat!"

Little?! Oh that's it mister!

I back handspring back tuck as he tries charging me. Running across roofs is usually fun but then again I never ever have a ginormous scary rhino vampire person chasing me! I jump onto a table helped by my magic and jump off onto another roof weeeee! I clank the roof as I land on it. Oh no it's another vampire! This one's a werewolf vampire. The rhino falls and Mondatta makes a shield out of light holding up his arm and he crashes into it.

He runs after me but I just can't run out of magic this soon please I just can't! Jacob makes a sheet of ice, he slips and Trang throws a ball of orange electricity, wonder what it did?

"Oh great now I can't use my powers thanks a lot!"

Mondatta's fist turn like a light bluish white but mostly white and he punches him in his nose.

"Noooooooo!"

Shifu thanks me. "Thanks Ashley! Who knows what he would've done if he actually sneaked on us!"

The werewolf slipped on Jacob's magic ice and wow it's so funny how he moves his arms lying on his back. He gets up and I hit his slashes away with my tonfa as I get closer.

"Ha ha you're not fast enough to back away from me!"

His eyes glow and I stake him.

Jacob ask me. "Do you feel your pulse getting faster?"

"Yeah. I want it to go away."

"So you're feeling sick too huh?"

"Yep, but it's also kinda fun too."

"Hey wanna hear my armpit noises!"

Trang rolls his eyes. "No stop being so gross."

Shifu tells me to find Reinhart's group so I run to them and these alien vampires attack a taco truck!

I hide behind a stack of rusty boxy cars, and one of the vampires is, and I am not joking, a humongous centipede person!

He tells the taco truck chef. "You'll get new powers and can fly in space with us if you let us turn you!"

He throws a wok at them and says. "Never!" and jumps out the window.

There are also three immortal children, two boys and a girl. I rush over to help but the girl tackles me from the side at the peak of my jump. Oh good Shauna's teal bubble saved me! I duck under the vampire's arm but she slams me into an old police tank.

"Thanks Shauna!"

She smiles and yells back. "No need to thank me we're friends!"

Yay we're friends!

Carlos sets the inside of the tank on fire just in case there's any spy equipment.

"Good thinking buddy. Hopefully we aren't gonna get their attention."

A boy vampire gets in close to him but I kick him in the stomach then he dodges the second kick, then I turn around very fast knowing he's behind me then I stake him.

"Phew! Thanks!"

The girl vampire runs at me screaming, but I smack her arm away with my tonfa then I hit her chin. While she's off balance I rush forward, staking her.

It's so easy to tell that these vampires never had a rehearsal or whatever you'd call vampire practice.

Reinhart yells. "Help! Count Centipede is on me!"

Carlos tries burning him but his armor is too much so Jayla tells him to save his fire. I stake him in the chest but it isn't working! Shauna shields him just before being bit. "Woah I'm much stronger!"

He kicks him off and Jayla teleports on the second floor of a shack missing a wall to stake the other boy.

Hey I hear something! Abby jumped off a roof and her staff went through the centipede's butt and he exploded into so much slime and hundreds of icky ugly snakes came out of him!

We're all running away scared and Rein yells, "Aaaah help me please!"

Why isn't Carlos freaking out with the rest of us!

I yell, "Carlos what are you doing we got to get out of here!"

It's taking all of us too long to kill them but Carlos uses his fire magic to just cook them away.

He nods, smiling. "See? My magical talent lets me burn up lots of small things quickly you guys!"

We split up again, which I don't really like we're stronger together but Jayla says if we're together then wherever we aren't will have people turn into vampires.

Oh that poor guy!

Shauna glares at me, "You know this is your fault right Ashley? You took way too long to slay that little immortal child!"

"Oh yeah he'd still be alive if you shielded him!"

"I can't shield again for like ten minutes!"

Abby then yells, "Stop arguing! He was gone anyway. I've been keeping track and I've been slaying the most I think even more than Genji or even Shifu or Mondatta so there!"

"Why does everything have to be a contest with you! We have to help these people Lindsey is counting on us."

Abby sighs. "Fine, let's do this!"

Abby jumps spinning her staff above her hitting the new vampire's face. She rushes through him inward crescent kicking his chest. Then I stake him. Abby's mouth hangs. "Ashley! You stole my slay!"

We look into each other's eyes and start laughing.


	10. Chapter 9: The Alien Unicorn Vampire

We meet next to where a store used to be, sitting near a barrel fire.

Shifu then tells us, "Okay now we need to split up again we're closer to their fort."

I go left with Angel and Isabella. Omigosh that thing is gross! He needs to moisturize like really bad!

"For your information missy people think I'm hot on my planet!"

"What the?! Did he really just say...?"

"Yes. I read your mind."

"Why you...stop thinking about Bobo Fiwa right now! Ugh I can't stand her bright happy songs and fashion sense! And why do you care about Lindsey so much? And Reinhart thinks she copies JoJo Siwa from when Rein was a little kid."

Isabella shoots him with her finger laser.

I tell him, "Oh it's on!"

He tries hitting me but I duck and jump so he can't. Just as I'm gonna stake him I get pushed off what was that?! I see a guy with a unicorn head. That's too bad I bet he was really nice before he became a vampire.

"Actually he was, the silly guy wanted to kill me and keep his little unicorn buddies from becoming vampires! You Earthlings shall become one of us too!"

I yell at him. "Never!" We run away and I climb a ladder and just before reaching the roof I hear their feet so I stop. Gosh this place smells! Even just the centipede exploding makes me wanna puke. Their footsteps are quieter ok good. They split up and Isabella tells me. "Whew that was close! Too bad the rest of our cheersquad is missing all this fun!"

"Fun?! Fun?! Are you kidding we could get killed!"

"But we're helping people right?"

"Yes but I just wanted to play with Lindsey!"

Angel's looking at his shoes, kinda shivering from the cool nighttime breeze. He looks back up. "Umm, guys, we really should get going! And I'm scared too. Did you hear something crash?"

Eww! I see rats eating I don't even wanna know what that is in the moonlight. They run out from under the stacks of wood.

Isabella's eyes move back and forth. "Yeah I heard it too!"

We go down a slide and Isabella fires a fast bright pink ball at the vampire dusting it. I feel my mouth becoming a thin line. I hate people reading my mind.

I ask. "I wonder who laid that trap?"

Oh, it's just Lindsey giving me a hug. "Hi Lindsey!"

"You're okay!"

"Yes. I'm glad you are too!" We hear something else stomp, like horse hoofs!

We see a unicorn charging us! Angel tries dodging but he gets hit against a wall.

"How dare you hurt my brother!" I glow purple again and Isabella and Angel toss me and I tuck, do a quadruple full, and kick the unicorn guy really really hard. Gosh I hope Shifu or Jayla get here.

"Angel are you okay!"

"Sis, sorry...I couldn't help.

Judith zips over and bathes my brother in a warm white light. He slowly blinks but Judith isn't glowing as much now.

She tells us. "Sorry I followed you guys I was worried about you."

Lindsey's eyes widen she's obviously shook. "You're an omnic! You didn't tell me you were friends with one of them! I helped you guys!"

She runs away. "But you don't understand she's good!"

Angel rocks to his feet and springs back up. "Whew thanks Judith! We should go after her."

Isabella says. "Not with that Unicorn guy chasing us."

We jump out of the way and Angel plays a simple melody and green light comes out of his guitar. Then he shoots red lights at him making him slower. He dodged most of them but the last one hit making him slower. Isabella shoots a pink laser at him while Angel recharges. I dodge his hits but he keeps blocking me trying to stake him. He turns into a full unicorn knocking us all down!

Isabella puts her left leg over her right leg putting her hands to her right and gets up fast but she's obviously dizzy so Judith throws her a little light. I hit the unicorn vampire with my tonfa left and right as I back up. My pulse is way faster than before I'm so scared I'll get stabbed with his horn!

Angel shoots him with 3 red lights and he turns back into a unicorn person.

Isabella sighs. "Aww I wanted to ride!"

I tell her. "I know he's pretty but we have to do this for Lindsey and her people!"

I block his head and arms with my tonfa while ducking and dodging. My right arm is so tired from all this blocking so my back handspring form is terrible right now, I move farther left than usual since moving straight back is what makes you good at handsprings.

Isabella shoots him with so much of her energy he's weakened enough for me to stake him. We're all still shaking but I remember Lindsey.

Angel reminds us. "Hey if she's running away she might try getting others to attack us we need to find her like, right now!"

An immortal child is hitting Lindsey oh you'll so regret it!

There's a werewolf vampire! We hop up and down screaming at each other but we snap out of it because we need to help our friend.

The werewolf vampire tells Isabella. "Jason and Polly are cousins you know!"

Isabella gets on her knees, her face in her hands. "That's not true, it's impossible!"

The wolf grins evilly as his eyes glow red. "Yes! So the Polly x Jason ship is gross!"

"He's lying! Tell me he's lying!"

I yell, "Now's not the time for that we need to help Lindsey!"

He tells us, "Lucky for her I tripped over one of her wiretraps but I know I'll win verse you!"

Angel plays his guitar again but his magic can't hurt vampires only kind of move them a teeny bit. Mine can't either, but I can make myself jump higher and push myself. Abby can make herself stronger and faster but both of our powers make staking them oh so much easier.

I jump and kick the immortal child off Lindsey and I stake him. Judith flies over.

"I got here as fast as I could! Oh my, she looks hurt!" She glows bright and all her soft light heals Lindsey but Judith falls.

She laughs. "Looks like I won't be flying or healing anyone for a while."

My brother is sad. "Please don't die Judith!"

"I'll be fine."

My brother carries her running.

I tell Isabella. "I'm scared!"

"Mood!"

Lindsey starts crying. "I...I don't know what to say she saved my life!"

She then gives me a hug and I tell her. "See? Would your friend Ashley ever be friends with a mean old robot fairy? I would with a nice old robot fairy!"

Angel corrects me. "Old but she's like 6!"

"Well she seems mature for her age okay."

I tell her. "I'm worried about our friends. Why did we have to get caught in this mess?"

Isabella shrugs. "I'm scared too, I mean, freakin vampires like, hello! But adventure just keeps finding us."

That's our life, full of adventure. At least this time we're adventuring, with magic! I just hope we meet nice unicorns next time.

We keep walking, the smell of dry air and scrap fills the street.

Isabella tugs on my tracksuit's sleeve, "Hey look! Our friends are in that food truck. Jayla texted me."

Reinhart says, "Mmm I love these! Anyone care for a bite?"

Shifu says. "Well it's rude for monks to turn down food so I will."

Carlos then finishes the other half.

Reinhart then says. "To be honest with you guys I'm scared of vampires."

Even with my tracksuit my arms still feel kinda chilly, the breeze seriously isn't helping.

Jayla looks into his eyes, both sitting crosslegged on the floor. "I know the feeling."

I'm so happy to see my brother safe and healed. Oh, it looks like Judith's waking! Angel and I hug her.

She blinks tiredly and slowly. "Thanks guys. Why the sad faces it's not like I'm dying I just have to recharge my magic."

Lindsey finishes her banh mi with sardines, sriracha, and radishes, sniffs a little, sniffing next to Judith as she places her on a pillow giving her a koala plush to sleep with. She whispers to me as we sit with Judith watching her sleep. "I hear there's a place just like this in Australia called Junkertown. My cousin Jamison is in middle school but between you and me I don't like his friend Mako."


	11. Chapter 10: Carlos is Sad and Hurt

Genji startles us with his firm sudden tone, "Guys! We have a mission we can't just talk okay?"

We split up into groups again and Jacob tells me. "Did you see all those vampires I slayed? Oh my gosh it was fun!"

We split up into groups again now Jayla and the other kids are in a group with me.

Oh geez, looks like Jacob is going to tell one of his silly stories again. "Hey guys there was this big vampire and I was like ha and hiya! I dusted like a hundred and I still have plenty of magic!"

Shauna rolls her eyes, "Oh please you and especially Carlos were running around all scared!"

Jayla rolls her eyes and tells her. "You were screaming too! But I'm proud of all you kids. I just hope Dominique's okay. You don't think vampires reached our part of town do you?"

I don't even wanna think about it! "Umm, probably not?"

"You don't sound so sure oh geez!"

There's a big burnt orange lizard vampire and a jackrabbit and armadillo person vampires!

The lizard tells us. "Just let us turn you, you'll get..."

I roll my head. "I know I know we'll get new powers and can fly through space with you, not interested.

Shauna tells them. "Just go back to your galaxy and don't come back until you can be nice to people okay?"

The armadillo puffs his chest, his mouth in a tight frown. "Ain't nobody disrespect colonel Armydil like that!"

He gets out a long spear with like an axe thing at the end of it and out comes a centipede using two three sectioned staffs in two of his right hands.

We never catch a break. I just wanna sleep, and dream of flying over a pretty field of flowers with my friends. Maybe I'll be lucky enough tonight?

The jackrabbit among them points and laughs at Carlos. "Hey how about we invade that planet!"

His mouth twitches and he runs away crying. "Carlos! Come back! Please!"

He sits against a pile of Bird scooters and I yell to him, "Please we need you!"

"No you don't I'm a big fat pig and I'll just hold you back! Besides I'm so scared!"

Well he is shaking, I thought it was the night breeze getting to him.

Angel tells him. "Carlos, we're all scared but the entire world is depending on us! They're gonna keep coming and coming until Zenyatta gets here so he can ult them all!"

He stands. "Thanks guys! Let's do this!"

Abby and Shauna fight the salamander, but he breathes fire at them. Whew good thing they got out of the way in time! Jacob and Isabella focus on the jackrabbit but he just isn't falling and Isabella can't track him. Wait she hit him dusting him yay! But she's wasting too much magic and only her magic out of our group can directly hurt vampires.

Salamander's eyes glow a weird dark orange, barrel fire light reflecting off his teeth. "You'll pay for slaying my friend!"

Izzie tells him. "It's your fault! If you guys didn't come over wanting to feed on us then I wouldn't have to shoot your friend with a laser!"

Mister centipede swings his three section staffs at us, but Trang falls down. Angel uses healing magic on him. Oh boy, I feel like we're gonna need his speed magic. I'm already sweating. If I worked like this at cheer practice I'd already take a water break by now.

Trang tries hitting the rabbit with his turmeric orange lightning at him. He hits him but because he's just fast it doesn't work.

We know we need to stab the centipede in the butt, but we just can't reach it! It hits Isabella against a stack of boxy cars though Angel helps her. "Ugh, my hair! Oh this was my favorite tracksuit oh you're so gonna get it!"

Me and Isabella smile at each other then we front handspring twice into a front through into a double full then we round off front handspring twice, stepout back handspring then front tuck avoiding his attacks. Then we front handspring twice then a triple full and Isabella keeps firing her magic at the vampires while I try knocking over the armadillo. He didn't budge. Shauna's shielding Jacob and he finally uses his ice magic and he weakens the salamander. Jayla's stake glows teal and it goes through the salamander's armor.

Good thing we're wearing tennis shoes! Though I feel like I stretched my right foot too much on the stepout.

I ask Izzie. "Izzie is your foot sore?"

"A little why?"

"Think we should have brought our cheer shoes?"

"Are you kidding they'd break too easy!"

"You're right."

Oh no what is Abby even doing?! She yells, "You're so dusted! I'm the best softball and soccer player in my whole school and don't you forget it Miss Rabbit vampire lady!"

Abby now's not the time to compete with us this isn't a game! She tries dodging him but he's too fast. He also stays out of her range. Angel speed boosts me and Abby but it only last a short time and he slows the rabbit, now our speeds are even!

Maybe if Abby agrees with me she'll stop getting us in so much trouble. "Say Abby, if you stop being competitive with us we could glitter our backpacks together. "

Abby smirks, "Ha! You know we're going to anyway! Besides if we compete then we'll slay more vampires!"

"But Abby! We could get hurt!"

"Oh please Ashley, I've watched so many vampire movies it'll go so much faster if we do things my way."

She tries punching her but I jump knocking her right hand away with my right tonfa. Wow that was a stretch I don't think I did that right. Just like that she almost has her balance again.

I get behind the rabbit and hit her with my tonfa behind her legs. Abby trips her with her staff then spins it while she jumps then she stakes her.

Abby looks at her nails, which I imagine are full of nasty vampire dust like the rest of ours. I hope mom won't be mad at me for getting all this dust on me. Me and Angel can make something up so we won't get in trouble.

Abby says, "Looks like I'm still ahead of you guys."

"You know you only won because I helped you, right?"

She blows on her fingers. "Yeah I suppose."

Shauna then tells her. "We're a squad, we do this together. You could seriously get the rest of us in trouble!"

Abby lowers her head, "Sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking you guys."

Then Angel and Isabella toss me and I do an X jump at the jump's peak. I feel sick and icky diving at the centipede's butt because I know he'll just explode into yucky snakes and slime. I squint really really hard pretending all that gross green goo and yucky snakes aren't real.

I jump on a few snakes. "Squish squish! Eww!"

Carlos kinda panics hopping up and down fanning himself nervously with his hand. He melts the slimey snakes with his fire. Good thing he can control that, because so many things can catch fire around us, especially with the dry wood everywhere.


	12. Chapter 11: Verse the Frog King

Jayla tells me, "We have to split up again, don't worry we won't be too far. You find a way on top of that store ok? Shauna and I have found vampires hiding in a nearby strip mall with our hidden cameras. We set them up when we were walking earlier."

"Yes Mrs. Shauna's mom."

The ground is cracked and uneven, aaaah oh crap those bats startled me! You never know what'll come out of dead fronds. I hope they'll be okay, unlike the dry and droopy dead palms they came from.

I hear something, okay Ashley remember your whistle oh crap! A tall vampire grabbed me! I pound on his face punching his eyes and nose using the pinky side. I then kick him between his ribs, my foot presses against his ribs but they're too flexible to break so I kick the empty space again and he drops me. He leans over trying to grab me again but I turn the thin side of my wrist moving it away from him then I step on his small toe. I run between a dumpster and the back of the store where he can't fit between and I go around the corner.

I fiercely blow my whistle, the top of my cheeks feel weird and poppy. I yell fire and I make it on top of the store. There's a fence blocking that dumpy shattered parking lot. Oh good there's Carlos!

Carlos looks up at me craning his neck in his I think I have something funny to say voice. "Well you did yell fire and that's my power!"

I yell down, "We can take him, together!"

He yells back. "It's really scary!"

Yay Shifu came to us! "I heard your whistle Ashley."

He grins narrowing his eyes looking at the vampire like he just knows he'd win and looks back at me, "Leave this to me!"

He kicks him in the stomach, upper cuts him, and the vampire is dusted.

I throw a rope ladder down and they follow me.

I go over the fence and an imp vampire and she hits my jaw. Ouch that hurt! I keep blocking her punches but I kick her behind her knee. She leaps up whipping her tail so I fall. Ouch my tailbone! I roll to my side and kick her trying to jump on me. I dust her and wow her outfit is so cool! And it fits. It's usually so hard finding clothes. It doesn't fit perfectly and is a bit loose but at least I can wear it.

Carlos and Shifu catch up with me.

Shifu says, "Excellent, you have their outfit and can infiltrate them! Me Rein and Carlos will wait for you!"

Poor Carlos is scared, sitting with his head on his knees. "I don't wanna die! Please this is too scary let's go back!"

Rein squats, looking into Carlos's eyes. "Perhaps you should wimp out."

Carlos, with a firey defiance in his eyes. "Hey I am not wimping out!"

Rein stands up, walking around slowly in his fine you don't know what you're missing voice. "If you're willing to accept others being better you are. You'll probably settle for just being platinum in your little card game! And our whole planet will be vampires because you wanted to wimp out."

Carlos jumps back onto his feet. "Oh that's it I am not a chicken!"

I go into a strip mall and look over a guy with bright blue hair and a cape's shoulder. He's sitting down and if I can see what they're planning, oh he moved his tablet. I step farther left on my tippy toes and he says, obviously annoyed. "Do you mind!?"

"Mind what? We're all vampires here you can show me what you're reading on your tablet I won't judge you!"

"Umm, no? Can you please go away we won't share go back to your own group stupid imp."

"Oh but I found a delicious group of humans you'll love!"

"Tsk, this is just great that robot dusted my friend with his big blue laser! That little blonde girl flipped with a pink laser, it's okay she's just a kid her magic won't last that much longer."

I tell them all about my friends. I feel so bad for the people they fed on. I feel so guilty not being able to save everyone.

I then take a big step onto the chair sitting on my knees leaning over to see what's on another vampire's tablet. "I'm trying, to concentrate!"

"You're reading about your crush aren't you? You're embarrassed!"

She grabs her tablet. "Ugh, it's none of your business!"

"Look, I know you can't record vampires so I think your crush is living!"

She's just like my mom brother and Abby, but why won't anyone let me read over their shoulder I can learn things about them I can tell people and they'll wanna be my friend even more!

"So why are we invading Earth again?"

"Because our entire galaxy was turnt. Don't worry my planet has waaaay better tech than this primitive dump and it got changed. We have nothing to worry about although the defense has been tougher than we thought! A gorilla and lady dressed like an angel just killed so many of us in France! Oh well more Earthling blood for us!"

I then stand on my chair announcing, "Hey everyone! I found these delicious humans outside!"

Lindsey texted me saying her traps are ready. I leave through another door so no one notices me.

Lindsey tells me, "Won't they have a nasty surprise waiting for them? They're gonna set off a tripwire and so many marbles and bouncy balls will trip them."

"Good thinking friend!"

Three vampires tripped over the marbles so I stake one and Lindsey stakes the other and we both stake the third. We look at each other, giggling.

There's a very tall noodly armed vampire! He just has one tall thin body with a mouth eyes and stringy hair and noodle like arms. I hope I won't have to play a guessing game staking him.

His arms wiggle above him. "I am Sir Noodlyarms! Mwa ha ha ha ha! Slay me if you can chipmunk. Did baby run away from her crib?"

Oh that's it I hate when people make fun of my height!

He whips his arms at us while doing a wiggle jiggle ducky move so we can't hit him as much. I leap really high while Lindsey distracts him and where's Carlos? Oh don't tell me he's scared again! I'm scared too but please Carlos we need you!"

Sir Noodlebutt steps to the side and I land in a smelly dumpster. Ugh I'm so mad right now.

Sir Noodlearms laughs. "Ha ha it looks like Earth's trash can take itself out!"

Reinhart laughs and I yell at him, "Reinhart it's not funny!"

Rein tries charging him but he gets out of the way. That weird vampire is so annoying my gosh!

I front handspring into a round off but I cartwheel to the side pretending I'm going right but I go left and Shifu trips him with a kick.

Shifu says, "You may have noodly legs but I still know how to trip you! And Ashley fooled you so I could do that."

Well, not on purpose ha ha but I'm glad it turned out that way. Broken glass and car rims shine in the moonlight, I see weeds growing in the cracks that actually look alive among all the dry ones.

Rein ducks and sidesteps their punches and judo throws one and stakes him. They don't notice me so leap into the air, at the peak of my jump I kick one and drive my stake through their heart.

A swarm of tiny vampire imps is gonna swarm Lindsey!

I yell. "Carlos we need you!"

He's shaking, but he huffs and throws a fireball at one making him lose balance. I take my chance and slay him. Then he summons pillars of fire slaying the vampire imps.

He wipes his forehead and falls on the sidewalk. "Ouch good thing my fat cushioned my fall! Yay I did it!"

He waves his hand then looks disappointed. "Though I'm all out of magic, sorry. Please tell me it's not gone forever!"

Lindsey cries, shaking. "Thank you guys I thought I was a goner fer sure!"

Shifu tells Carlos, "Don't worry you did the right thing."

All of this fighting, left up to us. Why can't everyone have magical powers like this so we could help everyone? Does dad deal with stuff like this everyday? I'm not telling anyone but I think is in Overwatch too, but he doesn't want us to know. This is fun, but scary.

I ask Reinhart to put the outfit I took from the imp into his bag. Wow my racing pulse is getting worse now. I can't imagine how bad Carlos feels right now.

I look over to him and Rein and Shifu are laughing at him dancing with his shirt up and tracksuit coat unzipped, moving his arms forward than back to his chest as he shakes his hips turning.

Then Rein tells him. "Okay Carlos put down your jacket you're gonna catch a cold because it's like 63 outside!"

I hear something on the roof. "Anyone coming with me up there?"

Uh, oh. I have a bad feeling about this one. He looks like a big froggy person, that's the saddest shade of sage green I've ever seen. But he's a vampire so I think that's why his skin changed.

He dramatically throws the part of the cape he's holding behind him and speaks, putting his hands on his hips. "Before I was a vampire I conquered many planets, and you know I was helping so much making us strong enough to overthrow those stinky humans! But they were dealing with their own problems of course, and when they got to us they already turned many other planets into vampires even ours! We also helped out new empire, the kingdom of Vampiria, turn even more planets for them! Now our entire galaxy is the kingdom of Vampiria and I followed orders to blow up so many planets to make spaceships!"

I look up, since he's sharing his history with me I may as well confess a few things. "I left my friend Wahibah on open before and I missed a few days of cheer practice this week but I didn't want to I was just too busy.

Jacob lifts his chin, hands on his hips. "Well I took a picture right next to the Hollywood sign! They don't want you near it either and the security is crazy!"

Ugh, Jacob making things up again.

Trang then tells him, but you can tell he's really talking to me. "Don't forget missing your singing practice too!"

"Trang I told you I do practice! And guitar too! Do you even know what kind of trouble I went through to find a lefty guitar that small?"

The frog puffs his chest. "Enough of your dribble! Ribbit!"

A human vampire steps out from behind him. "Hey boss will we ever get to take selfies near the pink building?"

"Are you ribbit freaking kidding me we'll get too much attention, especially from bouncers! They're really big and strong and really love their jobs! So throwing us is fun for them!"

Human vampire sighs. "I see your point. But we can stand somewhere they won't notice us!"

"Oh please do you really think no one would notice a big frog guy with fangs and a spikey helmet?"

"Yeah I see your point."

Angel whispers to Jacob. "Dad told me my uncle dressed in all pink on a mission to catch a Talon agent, so he leaned against the wall and no one could see him."

Jacob says. "Woah that's so cool!"

The human one jumps at us but he dodges Jacob's ice. The frogman uses a bladed staff and starts swinging it wow this is scary! It glistens sharply in the moonlight. He leaps but I roll under him.

I spring up and kick him really hard but I just can't seem to win. Angel speeds up Jacob but the guy he's hitting laughs and says. "Aww how cute! Love taps!"

That got Jacob really mad! He's running out of magic. Out of nowhere Shifu jump kicks the human vampire and he ducks his sword. He then palm strikes and punches him really fast in the chest. The vampire catches his arm uh, oh.

Wait, Shifu took a couple steps closer to him and threw his arm back really fast to escape before he hurt Shifu.

He opens both of his palms and he hits him really fast knocking him off balance.

I yell to the dumb frog, "You aren't very good are you?"

Froggy yells. "You may have beaten us but you'll never defeat Tiger! You had enough trouble against me so I know you won't stop us!"

I tell him, "Oh be quiet you."

Then Shifu lifts his knee, the bottom of his feet hitting the vampire's jaw dusting him.

Omigosh that was so extra! Hey it worked.

We're all so tired from trying to beat him and count froggy.

He laughs like someone fell off their bike and he thinks it's funny. "Ha ha ha I didn't like him anyway!"

He tries throwing the monk with his mind but his will is too strong.

"What?! How can a puny earthling resist my telepathy!"

Shifu grins. "I focus my chi near my center of gravity. It's near my base and sacral chakras keeping me centered!"

I tell Jacob. "See Jacob, I told you it's chakra, not shock ra!"

He then tells me, "He could do the Matilda challenge for real with that power!"

Out of nowhere a green bunny person with cybernetics hops out and throws garlic on Shifu!

"Nooo I'm unclean!"

I tell him. "You think you're unclean Jacob had to freeze all that yucky slime off me from the centipede!"

"No I can't just beat them up anymore."

I really don't like this stupid frog. "You smell, you look weird, and you're mean!"

I jump really high and kick off a concrete wall to go even higher. Angel uses a speed spell on me so I extend my foot hitting the frog in the face. I kicked a bit lower because I knew he'd try ducking. His chest is too high for me to stake him, but Shifu tosses me high. I can hear Froggy say.

"You may be winning, but you won't for long!"

We see Reinhardt fighting. Angel uses a speed spell on him but he misses? The vampire mantis grabs him and he yells to Angel. "You wanna know how much you screwed up? A lot that's how much mister!"

"He was only trying to help!"

His mouth twitches, and he runs away crying.

I'm so glad Melissa's never going to see my brother like this. She'd tease him and post him crying on Instagram literally until the end of time. I feel like Shauna's her friend too, she'll know her well enough to stop doing that soon enough I think.

Jacob uses a freeze spell on the mantis, which actually seems to work really well then Rein turns him into dust.

It's just one long concrete wall. Genji's chasing the rabbit from earlier. "Hey get back here you! How dare you run so fast!"

The green rabbit person yells. "Why don't you stake me?"

"I'm trying you know!"

Angel Lindsey and Judith came back and everyone groups.

I give Lindsey a hug. "Oh I'm so glad you're doing okay!"

"Me too! I kept Judith nice and safe. Not that anything tried hurting us."

"It must have been scary with you two by yourselves!"

"The feeling of dread, was terrible."

Carlos says. "Even in our humongous group it's scary! And I'm the one who has to kill all those snakes."


	13. Chapter 12: Ugh, an Annoying Truth Spell

Mondatta sits crosslegged, floating. The dots on his head glowing sky blue. "Listen up everyone! We're finally at the base and saved so many people. If we go together we'll leave other places too open. I'm asking Ashley and Judith to crawl through the air ducts because they're small enough to crawl through them. Genji and Rein get middle, and the rest whatever."

He gets on his feet and puts his hand face down cueing the rest of us to put it on his. "Ready? One two three Overwatch!" And we throw up our hands.

Judith flies near me as we walk creeky wobbly stairs, the rotting wood smelling way too sweet, like the rest of the street. The smell of rotting fruit also hangs in the air.

We crawl through the tight smelly vent, extra slow and with my hands and knees farther apart so my tracksuit fabric doesn't make too much noise.

I look and there's Genji mumbling to himself texting.

"Moshi moshi."

"Ugh, Hanzo for the last time I don't wanna follow in dad's footshoes because I hate hurting people!"

"Hanzo, if you weren't my brother I'd tell you to just go away like everyone in school did to you."

"Brother! I'm on a very important mission! And I hear very loud and scary footsteps."

He hangs up and a froggy and two bear vampires come out. Oh no this doesn't look good! We had so much trouble against just one of those things!

They tries running at him but he trips one of the bears and jumps high doing a front tuck. The frog tries hitting him with a bladed staff but the bear with the nunchucks and the other with the three sectioned staff try hitting Genji.

He slides into a split then jumps up into a double full into a back tuck. I bet he feels lucky to be a cyborg now.

They fall on their butts and dropped their weapons.

One bear says. "Wow we're lucky we can't feel pain anymore!"

One tries punching Genji really fast but he blocks both their hands with one of his hands.

Just as the frog is about to cut off his head Genji falls to his side, rolls around the bear, and the bear turns facing Genji just as he got up.

The frog shakes, and he hops up and down throwing a tantrum like he's 5. "No fair! We took over so many planets! I personally beat up robots way bigger than you before I got my vampire powers!"

Genji's head moves in such a way where you can just tell he'd smirk. "Bigger, but not tougher!"

A bear tries grabbing him but he moves his hands really fast, the back of his hands pushing the bear's elbows and when he clumsily stumbles back he grabs his stake and slays him.

"My brother!"

The froggy tells him. "Don't mourn that weak fool! Attack!"

Genji dust the other bear and he grabs the frog's bladed staff.

Frogman is scared but also annoyed. "You don't have any blood so why am I dealing with you?"

"Because I'm keeping you from feeding bro!"

Genji then front tucks and kicks the frog knocking him off balance against a wall. Genji then stakes him. He grabs his phone off the small table.

"Oh come on brother what do you mean why did it take me so long against those obvious weaklings!"

Well Genji isn't a group of kids so of course he could win them all.

Genji says back. "Why do you always have to downplay my achievements! I swear you never let me have anything good and Aya made fun of me when we were in school because you're my brother and being associated with you is so toxic!"

"Oh yeah well I'm your big brother so I'm more important than you."

"See this is why nobody likes you Hanzo! And you always brag about your Minecraft mods and winning Battle Royales in Fortnight which, might I add I know you lie about. Don't even get me started on when you literally tried freaking killing me!"

Wow I swear Genji and Hanzo are way worse than Archie and Sweet Pea. I'll leave Genji and his conceited creepy brother alone. I hear about his brother trying to kill him, dad told me Genji said it really broke his heart.

I keep crawling because it's up to me to unlock the door, I look down another vent and see a vampire girl's eyes twitch and mouth starting to open but Abby notices and she dust her.

"Yeah you could so tell she was gonna scream and I don't need attention that thinks I'm a threat and wants to get rid of me."

I keep crawling and Rein is Facetiming Torb. He's so tall I can clearly see his phone from up here. Torb's feather duster has a few missing feathers and is kinda bent. He says there's a reason why Sweden is a top science country.

Rein, looks down, then up but doesn't notice me, then cheerfully asks. "Hi friend! If you don't mind me asking about one of our American forts. We're kind of afraid the weapons will come back up against us like a kajillion vampires live here!"

I have a bad feeling about this, chills creep all over me. "No! Not vampires!"

"Yes, vampires!"

"The control panel is on the second floor ok?"

I keep crawling and I see the door from the other side. We all have to meet here and it's up to me! I hear footsteps so I stay extra quiet, pretending I'm a pillow. I quietly remove the small bars, hop onto a couch, and press the button letting everyone in.

Isabella squints and smiles then yells throwing her arms in a V. "Yay we're in!"

Jayla then says. "Ok, we're going to need to split up again. There are 3 switches we need to stop at the same time. Ashley, you're with Angel, Trang, Abby and Mondatta."

I crane my neck looking up to Jayla. "Can Shauna and Isabella come with me?"

She squats down. "Look, I know everyone's skills and what we'll need. In 20 minutes so many vampires are gonna come down that teleporter thing so we need to buy Zenyatta enough time."

I jump up and down then stomp a foot because I'm mad. "But I really want them to!"

"Listen, I know you wanna spend more time with them but..."

"Please!"

"I drove us here and I can drive right back. If our entire world become vampires it'll be all your fault."

"I'll be good!"

I whisper to Abby and Trang. "No offense."

Abby crosses her arms rolling her eyes saying like she's annoyed. "None taken."

"I meant I want them all with us!"

Angel then says. "Judith's still with us too."

He looks at his phone and I walk fast on my tippy toes and tell him. "Ooooh I see you're trying to look nice! Do you like anyone!"

"Stop it sis! I'm thinking about how I'll look in my new goth outfit."

"Omigosh, I got one too!"

We keep walking down the hall and there's a guy in a tight dark green suit and a wizard.

Mondatta's mouth glows. "Ready?"

"Yeah we're ready."

The wizard tells the superhero, "We can do this they're just kids!"

The wizard tries hitting Mondatta with a lightning bolt but he blocks it with blue swirly light. The superhero is running circles around Abby I have to save her!

The superhero tries hitting Abby but she blocks his hits with her staff. I yell to him. "Don't you know hitting is wrong!"

He then tells us. "But we need to feed don't you get it?"

Angel uses a speedup spell on me Trang and Abby but the superhero knocked down Abby so Judith throws her a healing spell. The wizard hits Trang before he can move fast enough to use his spell cancel on him.

Trang falls on his butt and groans. "Oh I hate these vampires so much!"

The wizard teleports out of Mondatta's blue beam wasting it. Wizard smirks meanly, and saying in a judgy tone, "You need to synchronize your skills your timing's off!"

I whisper to Angel. "So we all gotta work together as a team!"

Mondatta is starting to get mad but Trang hits the Wizard with his orange stringy lights. Are you kidding me he can still shoot lightning!

The wizard vampire looks mad you can still tell through his long white beard. "My magic's gotten weaker! But it should still take care of the likes of you!"

He casts a whirlwind spell woah I'm already dizzy. I hope I won't fall or worse, puke on someone.

Abby says. "This would be fun if we weren't gonna die!"

Angel turns facing up to her as she's higher in the wind. "I know right!"

Wizard looks down, and back up to us. "Let's say you do beat us somehow. If we're giving you this much trouble then you won't stand a chance against Tiger or Princess. You don't want to find out just how fast and strong Tiger is. Just let us turn you, for the entire universe is on the line."

Judith is in better control than the rest of us and she does a flying kick on the wizard he stumbles back and we all fall.

"Ouch!"

We probably should have synced our falls.

Angel groans rubbing his forehead. Judith lightly heals us and we get up and then Angel uses a slow spell on the hero making him equal to us.

Abby dodges his punches and she slides between his legs, turns, and scissor kicks him down then she vaults herself with her hanbo staff but he gets out of her way. They fight on the ground and Angel tries staking him but he kicks him. The superhero vampire's arms move so fast you can hardly even see them.

I try helping Abby but I got hit ugh and fall mid jump.

I look up, my head feeling fuzzy and the lights are brighter, but in a bad way. And the wizard laughs. "Ha ha ha! You have been hit with a truth spell! It will last for 20 hours!"

Uh oh. He's lying I know it.

Now how am I going to make up a story so mom won't ground me and Angel? I just hope we won't be in trouble.

"Can you tell me where the others are?"

Well lying is what you say, so I stay quiet ignoring him. I don't want to risk if he's trying to fool me.

Mondatta then says to us. "Get him don't worry I'll handle the wizard!"

Trang out of magic I'd be mad too if I did but what he did worked. The superhero tries hitting me but I slap his arms away with my tonfa but he kicks Abby yelling. "Ready to give up yet?"

Abby brushes her track jacket. "Never!"

But Trang helps her up.

Abby and I look at each other, and we attack him together.

He blocks but I hit his hand away with my tonfa, and he can't dodge me or Abby's stake forever.

I glow purple and still effected by my brother's speed spell. I knock him down then Abby stakes him with her staff.

Abby in an I'm so proud of myself voice tells me. "I'm still ahead in slays."

"But Abby this isn't a competition!"

She tells me in a voice clearly telling me she doesn't care, "Says who?"

The wizard looks at me smirking meanly. "How cute she thinks she's a hero. This is no place for a kindergartener you know. She's so short and scrawny for her age."

Oh that is it.

The wizard has a mean bully smile. "Aww aren't you just the cutest thing in the world when you're mad? What are you gonna do, hit me with your pigtails little mouse?"

I'm stewing in anger, feeling my fist clench and cheeks warm. I rush at him but stop before my shoulder hits the corner of a desk, that would have been an owie! Maybe if I make him teleport more then he'll run out of magic!

Mondatta and the superhero are fighting, but I glow and kick off the wall, backtuck, then turn and kick him and Abby stakes him.

He shakes, reaching his hand out lying on his back. "You...have no idea what you just did!"

"Umm, we just dusted a vampire?"

The wizard squats down holding him just as he's turning into dust. "I'll never forget the day I turned you."

He looks at me. "And you think you're so clever trying to get my to run out of magic! Yeah that's right I can read minds!"

Oh crap. "That's right!"

A couple of vampires come out the door, sheesh this will be fun. Okay, let's dust them.

There's a tall thin human vampire lady and a bear vampire. The bear pushes down Mondatta but he rocks back and hops back onto his feet punching him in the chest really fast making him move back. The bear tries hitting hit but he blocks with the back of his hand and jabs the bear's jaw. Then he kicks him and stakes him.

The lady vampire floats shooting red energy beams at us. I jump off the wall and run for a while on the wall for a few seconds then I back tuck behind her, but she was facing me! Judith flies to her and Abby spins her staff then stakes her.

She says. "Aren't I great?"

The wizard looks scared! Then he cleverly smirks uh oh, "So Ashley, why is Abby bothering you?"

"She always gets us in danger trying to get more slays than us!"

Uh oh.

She yells. "It's not my fault you guys can't keep up."

Angel slows the wizard and speeds me up and I front handspring into a very high leap glow purple and hit his magic away with a tonfa then stake him.

Mondatta looks at me, craning my neck so much is starting to hurt. "You should really start saving your magic. We have a big fight ahead."

Why me?

Shifu calls Abby and she asks me if we're ready. I wave both my hands, "I am!"

I tell my squad. "Okay now we can go through the doors.

Jacob is bruised and limping and collapses! Angel and I rush over to him and he ask. "Please tell me you're going to be okay!"

He pants. "It's okay, I think I slayed more than Abb...oh my ribs!"

Angel uses his magic because Judith is still recharging.

Jacob leaps and hugs my brother crying. "Thanks fam! You're the best! I think I slayed even more than Abby! My gosh you guys should have been there! I fought this huge robot vampire and I was like hiya! It was nothing really and Rein I know you really wanna take all the credit but I just can't let you."

Reinhart squats down and tells him. "Seriously kid? I did most of the work and we were literally there!"


	14. Chapter 13: Keep It Together!

We all meet in the middle of a long hallway with flickering lights and cracks and trash everywhere and Reinhart says, "Okay team we're all healed but we should really wait 10 minutes. Zenyatta still needs to get here meditating literally took him forever! He'll kill all the vampire aliens with his glowy special move."

Glowy special move, like what we have?

There's a weird bitter soda smell, like that lady who was mean to us on Halloween.

We bust through the big door and there are so many vampires getting ready to feed! We all nod to each other. "Let's do this!"

A giant scorpion person knocks down Genji with his tail laughing. "A robot? Seriously you guys are so useless."

I encourage Genji, "Just because he's a king scorpion doesn't mean you're a dirty roach!"

Genji deflects his staff and tail strikes and stakes him.

Abby staked a few immortal children, not all of them humans but she's starting to look tired, not that I'd tell her of course.

They just keep coming!

Reinhart yells. "We have to keep cleaning our base!"

I see a really big dog vampire scrunch his eyes huffing. "What do you mean yours!"

He tries hitting Genji with a couple of small axes but he ducks and blocks them. "We built this place and it's on our planet."

The doggy vamp shakes even faster, like he's a bottle of baking soda and vinegar and yells. "I shall punish your defiance! It's ours now and we want you out! Oh you guys built it well too bad we don't care we wanted and have it now so ha!"

Reinhart grabs a huge shiny sword almost as tall as he is. "En guard! I have the second best fencing skill in all of Overwatch!"

Genji ask, "So who's first?"

You can so tell Rein is smiling under his helmet. "Nice try bro."

Well Rein does talk about how Genji always beats him in fencing but he doesn't really seem to care, he's not Abby.

Shifu kicks the dog in his snout drops and trips him and right in the middle of getting up he palms strikes him then punches him really fast.

Shifu tells us, "Gosh I hate people with his attitude so much."

Is that, the lady we stole the antidote from last summer? She runs to a vampire cat and runs away. "Oh isn't Talon gonna love this!"

She has the same run as that lady who chased us on Halloween.

I rush over to help Shauna. "I'll save you friend!"

I jump kick an armadillo vampire and a lady looks down at me, "Adidas is out of style!"

I tell her, "I don't care!" Besides I know I slay.

Abby dusts her. It's looking cleaner in here but we need something!

Umm, there's a really big vampire with a club coming down!

"Fi fai fo fum I'll destroy you bums!"

Trang slowly shakes his head then cranes his neck. "Hey cool it with the cringey rhymes."

Genji reflects his giant club and not even Shifu can trip him by himself. Literally none of us can stake him even if we try.

There was a loud bang and what was that?

I look up and see the giant starting to fall so I move out of the way like everyone else. Lindsey dragged a harpoon gun on her wagon.

"Hi guys! It was so loud so I thought you guys could use my help! Besides I think I heard my mom."

Jayla yells, "Thanks but you could really get yourself hurt!"

Jayla grabs a sharpened pole and dusts him after jumping on his chest.

Just how many of these gross icky and scary creatures do we have left?

Abby runs towards a big group of vampires oh please don't! "I know I can beat them all!"

My heart races even faster and I yell. "Abby wait!"

"Stay back I don't want you beating my record!"

A tall mantis vampire holds her while a human one tries biting her but Rein charges him out of the way and dust him.

I feel my chest and jaw tighten, "Just what do you think you're doing Abby! You got us all in danger because you wanted to be the big hero!"

A tear runs down Abby's cheek as she sniffs. "Sorry, I, I thought I could..." she runs away crying even more. Poor Abby I really want to help her but we need to protect the planet.

Isabella glows pink and her tracksuit changes into a puffy sleeved shirt, her hair bow gets longer and sparkles, skirt and has a bow and arrow. She shoots down a bird person vampire and her arrows trail pinkish light and big gleaming sparkles. She also shoots down a drone before it can see anyone.

Aaaah I feel someone pulling me! Oh crap it's a huge vampire with a big ugly head.

"Aaaah!" I try kicking it but I can't reach it! Bright shiny sparkly purple light flies out of me! I kick myself off its chest and back tuck landing safely. I run towards him, jump, and I hit him faster with my tonfa just before he starts ducking. I thought I was going to miss because I'm so not used to being this fast.

This is so extra in all the best ways! He blocks and I round off into a really high front tuck and at the peak of my jump I launch myself faster than ever and stake him. I trailed sparkles just like my bestie's arrows!

Uh oh that really big spider vampire's got Mondatta! A bigger pink light passes through him and Mondatta! I gasp and Angel and Judith rush to him. "Please be okay!" They use so much magic to heal him too.

Me and Isabella get back to normal. Where did that even come from? I feel myself stewing and tensing. "What do you think you're doing Izzie you almost killed me and Mondatta!"

She looks down, scratching just below her ponytail. "I didn't mean to!"

Trang then says loudly but not quite yelling. "It wasn't your job either! Ashley was gonna help him."

Shifu says. "You were in the right place at the right time, wanted to help, and could do it so I'd say it was her job."

Reinhart puts his fingers on his chin, "That, was so wise!"

Shifu excitedly says. "Thanks! I know right!"

Genji tells her. "Maybe you'll have my brother's skill in archery one day."

I sigh and tell Isabella. "Oh I can't stay mad at you. You only wanted to help."

She smiles, "Thanks. Hey do you remember that time Chloe wore sideline cheer shoes to practice because her mom didn't know she needed competitive base shoes? Wasn't it funny?"

"I remember and no! She couldn't help it okay and you aren't being a good friend by talking about her like that!"

She blinks, moving back. "Ashley! What's gotten into you!"

I sigh. "I was hit with a truth spell."

"How do you like my hair?"

"After all this vampire slaying, it's a mess."

"Gee, thanks."

Izzy tells me, "You think you're so amazing just because you're center flyer! But I'm gonna be captain someday so ha!"

"Izzie, you're scaring me." And her eyes are doing a weird swirly thing.

I put my hands on my hips moving my head back and forth, "Oh look at me I'm Izzie I'm so tall and blonde and thinks she knows better than our coach!"

We huff storming off from each other. Abby and Genji are dusting a few vampires. She has the swirly effect too! She sounds annoyed and a little mad.

A really tall and buff vampire tries kicking Abby but she knocked his foot away and yay she staked him!

Abby tells me, "Jealous of me yet? It's no wonder you can't keep up with me, you care too much about girly things."

"Take that back you! We're your friends! Do you know how many girls make fun of you because you're a tomboy? You can't be so reckless, it's a dangerous world out there. Do you know how many kidnappers and crazies there are?"

"And? They're just jealous I'm the best goalie and scorer for the boy's team! That's right I'm on the boy's team!"

Isabella interrupts. "Why do you even wanna be like a boy anyway boys are stupid! They eat their boogers and smell bad."

Jacob huffs, his mouth frowning hard. "How dare you! At least us boys are bigger usually! And we don't spend forever on our hair or glitter bows!"

"You don't spend enough time on that rat's nest of yours! Even under that hat I can tell it's messy."

I tell them. "Grow up everyone we're 8 we're way too mature to tear each other up like this!"

No one is themselves I think something is mind controlling us.

Reinhart looks mad. "I swear you kids never listen!"

Jayla nods. "That's right! It's always me me me with you kids!"

I look at Shauna. "Are you afraid like me? What's gotten into everyone?"

She sighs. "I don't know but mom isn't usually like that. This reminds me of a book I read so there's something making everyone go crazy."

Trang argues with Carlos, "And you're lazy! If we fail as a band it's going to be your fault! Not that you guys always show up for practice anyway."

"How dare you I work so hard on drums! At least I'm not so uptight all the time!"

"And you guys never go to the Tet festival with me!"

"Because you never invite us!"

Mondatta and Judith talk to them. Judith says in an upset tone "And you humans are any better? You humans think you can just walk all over us and spend millions of dollars trying to take our rights away instead of even helping your own! I mean look at this dump of a neighborhood it's obvious you people don't even care about each other!"

Mondatta nods and says. "Freakin mood! I swear you humans are the worst."


	15. Chapter 14: I Found Lindsey's Mom

Okay I'm crawling through the vent and Judith joins me. I take a left, then go straight, and I see a weird thing in a big room with a lady who looks just like Lindsey! There's even a picture of her on the wall!

I come down and I ask her. "Oh thank goodness! I have this friend Lindsey and her mom's been missing and I was just wondering if..."

"I have no daughter!"

"How could you even say that I know you love her!"

"No, I, don't! The little brat was holding me back and nothing but trouble! Do you really think I want to be a loser forever! I could live in a safe neighborhood full of winners, mwa ha ha ha ha ha!"

Her cackle makes me sick, leaving her daughter behind like that.

Judith yells at her. "You left your daughter behind just to impress fake people who will never ever like you?!"

Her eyes glow red with a cat like slit, and I can see her fangs. Poor Lindsey. I feel my eyes heating up and my earlobes feel very warm. She stands wide and throws a purple energy whip at me but I somersault out of the way. Then she fires a whole thin purple light in front of her which I duck.

She laughs meanly. "Not bad, but you won't get any farther."

"I'll be the judge of that!"

I hit her hands and feet away with my tonfa but she dodges me trying to stake her. She front tucks over me and I turn and she kicks me down.

I roll to my left and she bites the floor. She gets up and claws me. Judith heals me but tries attacking her but she easily ignores her.

Judith says in her I'm so annoyed voice. "Come on hater rays! Stop transmitting!"

She laughs. "Even after I turn you I'll just rebuild it. You're scared aren't you?"

"Yeah." Oh crap it's the stupid truth spell again.

I feel so ashamed for losing this badly. My knees feel so weak I feel like falling. That's it knees! I try kicking the side of her knee but just pushed her kneecap a little and it goes back into place because I didn't kick her hard enough. She pushes me, but I get up and glow purple again.

She laughs. "Aww that's such a cute dress on you! And wook at your wittle lavender angel wings!"

I take a deep breath in because I'm so mad and the air against the inside of my cheeks feels so uncomfortable. I fly towards her but she keeps blocking and dodging my hits even though I'm faster. She hits me with her magic and it hurts so much! I believe in myself! I take in a deep breath and do three front handsprings and a six full at the peak of my jump then I fly really fast at her. She gets up and tries hitting me with her sword but my tonfa is on the same side as her sword and it's even faster now.

I do a flying uppercut on her and I stake her. "Noooo!"

Judith flutters, her hands clasped, squints, and smiles. "Guess what Ash! I did it yay! The hater rays are gone!"

I know she loves her daughter I just do! I grab her phone off the desk and Judith scans for her fingerprints, makes a copy of it and projects it onto her phone.

She flutters near my shoulder and we watch a video dated from before she was even born! The town looks just like it does now except there isn't rubble or faded stuff everywhere. It's showing a smiling girl around my age with the same kind of bike we saw earlier except this bike isn't twisted. Her and her friend giggle, running up the street and start riding.

Then the girl recording yells, "Wait for me!"

Just how did this town go from that to this?

We scroll a few videos down and I know because it's daytime and she doesn't have fangs or glowey eyes. She says. "I'm going to make something of myself in this world. It's all about money, I'm not going to let that little brat Lindsey hold me back. I'm sick of starving and being a loser."

Our mouths hang low. Judith tells me. "This would really hurt Lindsey if she ever found it. Should we destroy it?"

I nod yes to her. Judith downloads everything so she could still share her mom's videos when she was a kid.

Judith tells me, "You know if Lindsey found out her mom didn't love her it'd break her heart. We should seriously destroy her phone."

I throw her phone on the ground and stake it. She then unlocks every door in the base after connecting herself to the desktop.


	16. Chapter 15: The Big Fight

We go back and everyone's getting along again yay!

Reinhart tells the other kids, "I didn't mean what I said to you guys! Sorry I was so stuck up hating on you kids."

Mondatta then apologizes, "I know not all humans are bad. In fact there are other omnics who hate me because of it!"

Judith nods. "True. If we're all divided we can't get anything done but when we're together we uplift and support each other. And we don't keep away support just because you're different either."

Isabella cries and says. "I didn't mean what I said about boys."

Carlos cries too, "You're right though we can be gross but that's just part of our fun!"

Then we all laugh together.

Angel puts his guitar down sitting crosslegged on the floor.

"Are you kidding you're sitting on the floor with all that vampire dust?"

"But my shoulder's tired."

Trang jokes. "You're gonna be great at guitar fer sure with all your speeding and slowing magic."

Jacob lifts his chin, crossing his arms. "I slayed another giant and a pack of giant lion vampires! Can you believe it?"

"No!" Oops, I wasn't even thinking.

Jacob shrugs and nervously says. "So my little fib was that obvious?"

Shauna laughs. "Little fib? Yeah you got in a few slays and you making the floor slippery for them helped but my shield kept mom Abby and Genji safe."

Shauna sighs. "I'm not sure I have enough magic left. Will Zennyatoo get here already?"

Mondatta then tells her, "Excuse me miss, but I believe my student's name is Zenyatta. We're in the same monk squad you know!"

Shauna laughs. "Ok, Zenyatta."

After we destroy the gloomy glowy red teleporters, finally we can do it safely, we go deeper and Abby's mouth hangs and she taps my shoulder whispering. "I know those boys! They were in Dean's bully club!"

Abby walks up to them. "I know you guys from school! Just what were you guys doing here!?"

One of them sighs. "Dean said if we wanted to stay in the club we'd need to come here and record ourselves and show him. He didn't say anything about vampires! Too bad because we were getting so many likes with our Instagram pics here too."

His friend takes a couple steps forward. "But we're vampires now and it's not as cool as you think trust us! Although you gotta admit, the ship on Phobos is really cool. It looks all Goth and stuff."

So their ship is parked on one of Mars's moons? I feel bad for their friends and parents. They wanted to belong and be liked but the only like they found was vampires who only liked them for their blood.

Their eyes focus as they widen their stances holding daggers. One tries to attack Abby but she blocks the knife with her staff then she kicks him tripping him and she stakes him. I duck the other one's hammer. Jacob uses ice and he falls then he stakes him.

He sighs. "I always hated him."

A swarm of mosquitos flies behind Rein so he turns facing them and uses his firestrike dusting them. These bugs are more annoying than the nails on a chalkboard smartboard app uses.

We face a big army of vampires. I look to my friends and they all look scared. We quietly get into formation. Jayla teleports slaying an imp and my brother got swarmed by vampire cats!

Isabella fires at a few with her magical laser and I slay a few too but they keep coming!

"Oh come on Carlos seriously? We need you!"

He slowly gets up, shaking, sweat going down his forehead. He breaths in deep then says. "Leave my friend alone fleabags!"

A long carpet of fire flows under the vampire cats and a few of the bigger ones, but even more vampires teleport. Shifu blocks a goat vampire person's kicks and punches then he judo throws him and punches him in the stomach then he dusted him with a strong spinning kick to his face. He flying kicks towards a scorpion vampire and kicks him like 6 times and then he explodes.

Mondatta and Genji are fighting a small group of snakeheaded people. They beat them but more vampires keep coming!

Everyone looks so tired but I won't stop believing in us.

"Jacob we need your ice!"

"Sorry I'm all out and I'm scared!"

Isabella's beams are getting smaller too so I think she's running out as well.

I feel far shakier than earlier, like my nerves are trying to escape from me. I don't know how I can handle everything.

"Experience tranquility!"

Omigosh all those vampires just sparkled then exploded dust! Eww but yay we did it!

He collapses and Mondatta Genji and I rush towards him. Mondatta says. "Are you okay my student?"

"Yes, I'm fine thank you. That was all I had."

The others destroy the teleporters but out of nowhere a silver tiger walks through the wall and leaps at Reinhart knocking him out!

Trang ask. "Wh, what kind of magic is that?"

Mondatta then tells him. "He's pure tech but it's so advanced we can't even begin to know how it works! He uses a mind interface to control very tiny nanobots that move his atoms. So he doesn't use magical energy."

The silver tiger crosses his arms, smirking. "I am the ship's captain! I was winning against you guys but no you just had to have that stupid robot dust everyone it's not fair!"

Isabella laughs. "Do you vampires even know how ugly you look? Like seriously do you even have mirrors or phone cameras in your galaxy?"

The silver tiger says. "Umm, hello! We're vampires! We're traders and we don't have to fight. Just let us make you into vampires just like us."

I cross my arms glaring at him. "Why would anyone trust you if you're traitors?"

"Wrong meaning of the word shrimp. We need to turn you guys into vampires because we're thirsty!"

I feel my eyes roll so much it hurts. "Whatever."

"And we really want two galaxies but the ones on the way just, I don't know."

I shift from one foot to the other. "K."

"Wow you're so rude miss!"

He takes a few steps closer to us. We all feel a bit afraid but we've defeated so many vampires and we're the good guys so I know we'll win! But this is real life and no writer can make us win.

The tiger's eyes narrow, his fur softly gleaming from the wall lights. He's looking right at Shifu, crossing his arms like he's so proud of being a bully. "I read your thoughts mister and I couldn't help but notice how much you failed as a kid. You really did fall on your face got moves wrong a lot!"

He puts his hands on his hips, laughing. "Ha ha ha! And you call yourself a monk! You're a fake! You only think you're a monk because you kept practicing but I see right through you!"

Shifu's eye's start watering. He looks down and runs away. "It's true I am a fake!"

Mondatta yells. "No you're not if you were then you couldn't beat up all those vampires without stakes or magic!"

Why would Shauna look at her tablet now of all times? "We have a problem a toxic sludge monster is on its way!"

The smell, oof it's like a sewer, or way too much broccoli being cooked! Sesame oil and garlic really don't help even if I usually like garlic and sesame oil.

Jacob holds his nose waving his arm. "Eww Carlos what did you eat?!"

"It wasn't me I swear!"

It's a ginormous sewer monster!

Hey the people living her won't have to deal with all that yucky icky sludge trolling their noses, if we can defeat it that is.

Jacob apologizes to Carlos for accusing him of farting.

Genji yells. "I'm not scared, you oversized flushy!"

Abby tries tripping him with her staff and he laughs and tells her. "I'm made of liquid so more toxic sludge will fall where you knocked it out instead of me falling!"

Jacob's freeze and Carlos's fire aren't working and the silver tiger splits in two one fighting Rein and the other fighting Genji.

Jacob tells Carlos. "You're messing up my freeze!"

Carlos sincerely says back. "But it wasn't working anyway!"

Uh, oh...Genji is having trouble! But I just can't help!

Angel tells Genji. "Here's a speed boost! Please be okay!"

The toxic monster smacks Jacob "Owie!" He's on the ground.

I must help him! "Don't worry we'll help you!"

Angel glows red, his hair floating up and he's wearing two belts, skinny jeans, black lipstick and alabaster foundation, and long fingerless gloves with strips wrapping around them. He's also wearing a black trenchcoat with a red undertone and a crimson red headband. Red energy surrounds him and Carlos still looks fat but instead of fat he turns into muscle and glows blue and a medium blue vest with spikes on his shoulders just appears on him. His hair spikes.

Ugh what hit me?! I have an even worse headache than ever! I see stars and feel a weird popping above my eyes. I hope everyone else is okay.

Isabella turns into her idol looking form and Shauna also glows teal and also looks like an idol.

Shauna yells. "Don't you dare hurt my friend like that!"

I yell to her. "Be careful he can hit you across the room!"

I feel myself transforming again!

Jacob glows green and freezes the toxic giant's feet a lime green and Carlos burns him with blue fire, which flickers faster than normal fire and he yells. "Aaaaah this hurts so badly I'm supposed to be fireproof you fat idiot!"

I jump to Isabella and I ask her, "Ready?"

We chant together and as we chant moving our arms then do a double hook. "Hey hey get out of our way because today's the day we blow you away!"

Genji and Jayla seem to be doing better! Genji slightly glows lime green and Jayla starts glowing dark blue. A dark orange light starts surrounding Trang. But I think my color's the prettiest, well except for maybe Isabella, but she's the master of pink.

The swamp monster laughs at me! "You're a feisty little munchkin aren't you? How cute!"

That's it! I'm so mad I stomp and yell! "Rooooaaaar! I'm not cute I'm your worst nightmare!"

I bounce off something. Who invited her to our fight! Her hat's so weird! Now it smells like jacaranda flowers and lavender.

She laughs and says. "I'm not going to let you guys win! We need this planet! Oh and you guys can thank me for it smelling better in here. I casted a spell for it."

Abby laughs at her. "Why are you wearing a stupid hat?"

"What did you say about my hennen?"

She lifts Abby with her mind and throws her. I launch myself at her but I just crash into her shield, owie!" Judith grows almost to my height, glows, and heals us. Then the vampire princess lifts Shauna but drops her when she uses her bubble. Angel uses a speedup spell on her.

The princess smirks. "He's your boyfriend isn't he?"

Shauna's eyes widen. "He's not my boyfriend we're just friends okay!"

"Don't deny it you like him."

The way Isabella's eyes narrow a little and eyebrows raise tells me she's going to roast her. "Are all princesses from your homeworld fashion disasters?"

"Oh that's rich coming from a girl wearing a tracksuit!"

She then lifts me!

Shifu flying kicks at her but she steps out of the way.

Jayla says, sounding impressed. "Wow how is everyone moving so much in outfits like that? You'd think idol and princess outfits restrict mobility like no tomorrow!"

The vampire princess tells her, "Because it's not nearly as restrictive as Earth's fabrics."

She throws a purple fireball at Jayla but Shauna uses a shield just in time.

"Wh...what!?"

She throws another one and it instantly erases a big hole in the metal wall. She then teleports and Carlos and Jacob see she's distracted and Angel uses a speed spell on them and freeze his feet and burn him. I fly at his head again and he explodes eww! Carlos can now go so fast he melts each piece of flying toxic waste before hitting the walls. But they did so much they faint.

Angel goes back to normal, breathing so much. "We need to do this!"

Trang tries doing his magic cancel spell on Tiger but it doesn't work.

Me Isabella and Shauna huddle. I ask. "What do you think we should do?"

Isabella shrugs. "Beats me."

Shauna suggest. "Okay you can fly at her but I'll use a shield making you stronger. Isabella will also focus the princess. Do you guys like my idea?"

We nod to her. She's teleporting using so much lighting and gravity. I join Isabella's sparkly arrow and the princess tries firing a big pillar of purple fire down but Shauna's shield keeps me safe and I shatter the princess's magic shield and hit her. Now we have no more powers.

Abby uppercuts her and she falls to the ground. I look one way then another and I grab her hat because Abby thinks it looks silly but I like it. I wear it and it's glowing and I'm seeing stars but not in the bad I haven't eaten anything in a while and stood up to fast way with the weird popping feeling just over my eyes. I feel energized and recharged, I look at my friends and brother hoping they're okay, but Shifu brought them near Zenyatta who's still sleeping.

Abby then spins her hanbo staff and stakes her.

The Silver Tiger laughs. "So you think you could beat me! We're all even!"

Every time I try hitting him he just turns into shiny smoke!

Isabella's sparkly arrow manages to hit him but he splits in two.

"Do you think your weak arrows can hurt me!"

I have real flight now yay! I feel the air moving through my hair as I fly and how is my new hat even staying on? But he's still too hard for me to stake.

A lime green dragon appears above Genji and it looks like he disappears and reappears really fast and Genji yells, "The dragon becomes me!" It's like he's surrounded by lime green fire and he and the tiger keep blocking each other's attacks and both are getting tired but Shauna's still in super and bubbles him. She then uses an Earthquake spell and Jayla stabs him with a teal laser dagger. She tells me, "That should poison him even if he doesn't feel it he'll still feel like he can't really think."

"Ugh you!"

Even when I'm dodging and fighting the tiger's other half I can still notice him fighting Genji. Genji's now doing better but Isabella hits tiger with a sparkly pink arrow. He's off balance so Mondatta finishes him with a big sky blue laser and he falls after dusting the clone.

I rush over and yell, "No!"

Shifu safely carries him away. Isabella used so much magic he's exhausted but still breathing thankfully please be okay everyone.

Jayla glows teal and summons lots of clones.

The tiger breaths in the silver smoke and becomes bigger! He puts his fingers on his chin. "Not bad but you can't fool me!"

He's not as fast so I think her poison worked.

Genji uses his sword knowing I could stake him but the tiger blocks all of me and Genji's strikes and pounces on us.

Judith returns to normal after using so much magic to keep us alive.

I glare at mister mean tiger weirdo. I tuck my shoelaces on the side of my shoes and tuck them under my other laces.

He turns into a shiny silver cloud but not as fast. It's just me, Trang, Shauna, and Genji, though I hope our friends can wake up to help us.

Trang uses his orange lightning making the tiger unable to use magic but we need to slay him before his magic comes back.

"Tiger! I can see you! Genji wan't born yesterday you know."

The floors and walls are cracked even worse now. Is this what it means to be a witch? To stay up this late? We aren't even allowed to show our powers to anyone, but I don't really need them to be cool. But real talk they make me cooler.

Jayla's clone explodes, I hope he can't do his silver cloud thing. Which honestly looks kinda neat.

He leaps really high and fast and Genji couldn't get out of the way fast enough. His feet are on his chest and his arms are straight on both sides of his jaw. I fly really fast yelling. "Get off my friend!"

I fly into him and he rolls until he hits a wall.

Don't these vampires have enough? It's not fair how they just wanna take take and take!

Tiger gets up, smirking like he still thinks he's gonna win. I yell to him. "We'll slay you! You hear me!"

He says. "No you can't."

"Ooooh no one talks to me like that!"

He said a bad word. "Last time Jacob talked like that his mom took his phone away for a month!"

Jayla laughs. "No Ashley he said can't! Accents can make words sound different."

He tries clawing and biting me but I dodge. He's way bigger than me but Angel plays his guitar and his red slow rays hit him. I'm now able to get in closer and he blocks me from staking him.

Jayla yells. "The poison won't last forever you need to stake him like really soon!"

Tiger laughs. "Ha ha too bad you can't! You will all become vampires!"

Shauna uses an earthquake spell shaking him. Angel and I run towards one of his legs flipping him over. Just as I feel like I'm turning normal Angel uses a speed spell on me. My left hand goes really far back and I hit Tiger's arms out of my way with my tonfa. He's breathing heavy an leaps really fast. But I move my left really fast forward staking him.

Tiger falls to his knees as silver dust falls out of him and now he looks white, and he thanks us and his entire body turns into dust.

If dad knew about all this he'd be so jealous of us! He loves saving the world on official Overwatch business after all.

Whew! What a relief! This town is saved thanks to my squad's call for adventure! Well I just wanted to play with Lindsey, but those scary baddies just had to go.

I feel a gush of warmth flowing through me as I hop up and down and finish with a high V jump. "Yay we did it!" I'm in my tracksuit again, but very dizzy and nauseous from all that fighting.

Shauna's looking at her tablet! "We have a problem guys."

Oh no! It's another vampire!

We run passing walls with chipping neon paint and past more rubble.

There's Lindsey! "Leave her alone you!"

Reinhart throws a wood spear at him staking him.

I hug Lindsey with all my heart, feeling warmth spreading through me as I cry happy to see she's alive. "Oh Lindsey I'm so glad you're okay!"


	17. Chapter 16: Lindsey Please Don't Go

We go back and everyone's getting along again yay!

Reinhart tells the other kids, "I didn't mean what I said to you guys! Sorry I was so stuck up hating on you kids."

Mondatta then apologizes, "I know not all humans are bad. In fact there are other omnics who hate me because of it!"

Judith nods. "True. If we're all divided we can't get anything done but when we're together we uplift and support each other. And we don't keep away support just because you're different either."

Isabella cries and says. "I didn't mean what I said about boys."

Carlos cries too, "You're right though we can be gross but that's just part of our fun!"

Then we all laugh together.

Angel puts his guitar down sitting crosslegged on the floor.

"Are you kidding you're sitting on the floor with all that vampire dust?"

"But my shoulder's tired."

Trang jokes. "You're gonna be great at guitar fer sure with all your speeding and slowing magic."

Jacob lifts his chin, crossing his arms. "I slayed another giant and a pack of giant lion vampires! Can you believe it?"

"No!" Oops, I wasn't even thinking.

Jacob shrugs and nervously says. "So my little fib was that obvious?"

Shauna laughs. "Little fib? Yeah you got in a few slays and you making the floor slippery for them helped but my shield kept mom Abby and Genji safe."

Shauna sighs. "I'm not sure I have enough magic left. Will Zennyatoo get here already?"

Mondatta then tells her, "Excuse me miss, but I believe my student's name is Zenyatta. We're in the same monk squad you know!"

Shauna laughs. "Ok, Zenyatta."

After we destroy the gloomy glowy red teleporters, finally we can do it safely, we go deeper and Abby's mouth hangs and she taps my shoulder whispering. "I know those boys! They were in Dean's bully club!"

Abby walks up to them. "I know you guys from school! Just what were you guys doing here!?"

One of them sighs. "Dean said if we wanted to stay in the club we'd need to come here and record ourselves and show him. He didn't say anything about vampires! Too bad because we were getting so many likes with our Instagram pics here too."

His friend takes a couple steps forward. "But we're vampires now and it's not as cool as you think trust us! Although you gotta admit, the ship on Phobos is really cool. It looks all Goth and stuff."

So their ship is parked on one of Mars's moons? I feel bad for their friends and parents. They wanted to belong and be liked but the only like they found was vampires who only liked them for their blood.

Their eyes focus as they widen their stances holding daggers. One tries to attack Abby but she blocks the knife with her staff then she kicks him tripping him and she stakes him. I duck the other one's hammer. Jacob uses ice and he falls then he stakes him.

He sighs. "I always hated him."

A swarm of mosquitos flies behind Rein so he turns facing them and uses his firestrike dusting them. These bugs are more annoying than the nails on a chalkboard smartboard app uses.

We face a big army of vampires. I look to my friends and they all look scared. We quietly get into formation. Jayla teleports slaying an imp and my brother got swarmed by vampire cats!

Isabella fires at a few with her magical laser and I slay a few too but they keep coming!

"Oh come on Carlos seriously? We need you!"

He slowly gets up, shaking, sweat going down his forehead. He breaths in deep then says. "Leave my friend alone fleabags!"

A long carpet of fire flows under the vampire cats and a few of the bigger ones, but even more vampires teleport. Shifu blocks a goat vampire person's kicks and punches then he judo throws him and punches him in the stomach then he dusted him with a strong spinning kick to his face. He flying kicks towards a scorpion vampire and kicks him like 6 times and then he explodes.

Mondatta and Genji are fighting a small group of snakeheaded people. They beat them but more vampires keep coming!

Everyone looks so tired but I won't stop believing in us.

"Jacob we need your ice!"

"Sorry I'm all out and I'm scared!"

Isabella's beams are getting smaller too so I think she's running out as well.

I feel far shakier than earlier, like my nerves are trying to escape from me. I don't know how I can handle everything.

"Experience tranquility!"

Omigosh all those vampires just sparkled then exploded dust! Eww but yay we did it!

He collapses and Mondatta Genji and I rush towards him. Mondatta says. "Are you okay my student?"

"Yes, I'm fine thank you. That was all I had."

The others destroy the teleporters but out of nowhere a silver tiger walks through the wall and leaps at Reinhart knocking him out!

Trang ask. "Wh, what kind of magic is that?"

Mondatta then tells him. "He's pure tech but it's so advanced we can't even begin to know how it works! He uses a mind interface to control very tiny nanobots that move his atoms. So he doesn't use magical energy."

The silver tiger crosses his arms, smirking. "I am the ship's captain! I was winning against you guys but no you just had to have that stupid robot dust everyone it's not fair!"

Isabella laughs. "Do you vampires even know how ugly you look? Like seriously do you even have mirrors or phone cameras in your galaxy?"

The silver tiger says. "Umm, hello! We're vampires! We're traders and we don't have to fight. Just let us make you into vampires just like us."

I cross my arms glaring at him. "Why would anyone trust you if you're traitors?"

"Wrong meaning of the word shrimp. We need to turn you guys into vampires because we're thirsty!"

I feel my eyes roll so much it hurts. "Whatever."

"And we really want two galaxies but the ones on the way just, I don't know."

I shift from one foot to the other. "K."

"Wow you're so rude miss!"

He takes a few steps closer to us. We all feel a bit afraid but we've defeated so many vampires and we're the good guys so I know we'll win! But this is real life and no writer can make us win.

The tiger's eyes narrow, his fur softly gleaming from the wall lights. He's looking right at Shifu, crossing his arms like he's so proud of being a bully. "I read your thoughts mister and I couldn't help but notice how much you failed as a kid. You really did fall on your face got moves wrong a lot!"

He puts his hands on his hips, laughing. "Ha ha ha! And you call yourself a monk! You're a fake! You only think you're a monk because you kept practicing but I see right through you!"

Shifu's eye's start watering. He looks down and runs away. "It's true I am a fake!"

Mondatta yells. "No you're not if you were then you couldn't beat up all those vampires without stakes or magic!"

Why would Shauna look at her tablet now of all times? "We have a problem a toxic sludge monster is on its way!"

The smell, oof it's like a sewer, or way too much broccoli being cooked! Sesame oil and garlic really don't help even if I usually like garlic and sesame oil.

Jacob holds his nose waving his arm. "Eww Carlos what did you eat?!"

"It wasn't me I swear!"

It's a ginormous sewer monster!

Hey the people living her won't have to deal with all that yucky icky sludge trolling their noses, if we can defeat it that is.

Jacob apologizes to Carlos for accusing him of farting.

Genji yells. "I'm not scared, you oversized flushy!"

Abby tries tripping him with her staff and he laughs and tells her. "I'm made of liquid so more toxic sludge will fall where you knocked it out instead of me falling!"

Jacob's freeze and Carlos's fire aren't working and the silver tiger splits in two one fighting Rein and the other fighting Genji.

Jacob tells Carlos. "You're messing up my freeze!"

Carlos sincerely says back. "But it wasn't working anyway!"

Uh, oh...Genji is having trouble! But I just can't help!

Angel tells Genji. "Here's a speed boost! Please be okay!"

The toxic monster smacks Jacob "Owie!" He's on the ground.

I must help him! "Don't worry we'll help you!"

Angel glows red, his hair floating up and he's wearing two belts, skinny jeans, black lipstick and alabaster foundation, and long fingerless gloves with strips wrapping around them. He's also wearing a black trenchcoat with a red undertone and a crimson red headband. Red energy surrounds him and Carlos still looks fat but instead of fat he turns into muscle and glows blue and a medium blue vest with spikes on his shoulders just appears on him. His hair spikes.

Ugh what hit me?! I have an even worse headache than ever! I see stars and feel a weird popping above my eyes. I hope everyone else is okay.

Isabella turns into her idol looking form and Shauna also glows teal and also looks like an idol.

Shauna yells. "Don't you dare hurt my friend like that!"

I yell to her. "Be careful he can hit you across the room!"

I feel myself transforming again!

Jacob glows green and freezes the toxic giant's feet a lime green and Carlos burns him with blue fire, which flickers faster than normal fire and he yells. "Aaaaah this hurts so badly I'm supposed to be fireproof you fat idiot!"

I jump to Isabella and I ask her, "Ready?"

We chant together and as we chant moving our arms then do a double hook. "Hey hey get out of our way because today's the day we blow you away!"

Genji and Jayla seem to be doing better! Genji slightly glows lime green and Jayla starts glowing dark blue. A dark orange light starts surrounding Trang. But I think my color's the prettiest, well except for maybe Isabella, but she's the master of pink.

The swamp monster laughs at me! "You're a feisty little munchkin aren't you? How cute!"

That's it! I'm so mad I stomp and yell! "Rooooaaaar! I'm not cute I'm your worst nightmare!"

I bounce off something. Who invited her to our fight! Her hat's so weird! Now it smells like jacaranda flowers and lavender.

She laughs and says. "I'm not going to let you guys win! We need this planet! Oh and you guys can thank me for it smelling better in here. I casted a spell for it."

Abby laughs at her. "Why are you wearing a stupid hat?"

"What did you say about my hennen?"

She lifts Abby with her mind and throws her. I launch myself at her but I just crash into her shield, owie!" Judith grows almost to my height, glows, and heals us. Then the vampire princess lifts Shauna but drops her when she uses her bubble. Angel uses a speedup spell on her.

The princess smirks. "He's your boyfriend isn't he?"

Shauna's eyes widen. "He's not my boyfriend we're just friends okay!"

"Don't deny it you like him."

The way Isabella's eyes narrow a little and eyebrows raise tells me she's going to roast her. "Are all princesses from your homeworld fashion disasters?"

"Oh that's rich coming from a girl wearing a tracksuit!"

She then lifts me!

Shifu flying kicks at her but she steps out of the way.

Jayla says, sounding impressed. "Wow how is everyone moving so much in outfits like that? You'd think idol and princess outfits restrict mobility like no tomorrow!"

The vampire princess tells her, "Because it's not nearly as restrictive as Earth's fabrics."

She throws a purple fireball at Jayla but Shauna uses a shield just in time.

"Wh...what!?"

She throws another one and it instantly erases a big hole in the metal wall. She then teleports and Carlos and Jacob see she's distracted and Angel uses a speed spell on them and freeze his feet and burn him. I fly at his head again and he explodes eww! Carlos can now go so fast he melts each piece of flying toxic waste before hitting the walls. But they did so much they faint.

Angel goes back to normal, breathing so much. "We need to do this!"

Trang tries doing his magic cancel spell on Tiger but it doesn't work.

Me Isabella and Shauna huddle. I ask. "What do you think we should do?"

Isabella shrugs. "Beats me."

Shauna suggest. "Okay you can fly at her but I'll use a shield making you stronger. Isabella will also focus the princess. Do you guys like my idea?"

We nod to her. She's teleporting using so much lighting and gravity. I join Isabella's sparkly arrow and the princess tries firing a big pillar of purple fire down but Shauna's shield keeps me safe and I shatter the princess's magic shield and hit her. Now we have no more powers.

Abby uppercuts her and she falls to the ground. I look one way then another and I grab her hat because Abby thinks it looks silly but I like it. I wear it and it's glowing and I'm seeing stars but not in the bad I haven't eaten anything in a while and stood up to fast way with the weird popping feeling just over my eyes. I feel energized and recharged, I look at my friends and brother hoping they're okay, but Shifu brought them near Zenyatta who's still sleeping.

Abby then spins her hanbo staff and stakes her.

The Silver Tiger laughs. "So you think you could beat me! We're all even!"

Every time I try hitting him he just turns into shiny smoke!

Isabella's sparkly arrow manages to hit him but he splits in two.

"Do you think your weak arrows can hurt me!"

I have real flight now yay! I feel the air moving through my hair as I fly and how is my new hat even staying on? But he's still too hard for me to stake.

A lime green dragon appears above Genji and it looks like he disappears and reappears really fast and Genji yells, "The dragon becomes me!" It's like he's surrounded by lime green fire and he and the tiger keep blocking each other's attacks and both are getting tired but Shauna's still in super and bubbles him. She then uses an Earthquake spell and Jayla stabs him with a teal laser dagger. She tells me, "That should poison him even if he doesn't feel it he'll still feel like he can't really think."

"Ugh you!"

Even when I'm dodging and fighting the tiger's other half I can still notice him fighting Genji. Genji's now doing better but Isabella hits tiger with a sparkly pink arrow. He's off balance so Mondatta finishes him with a big sky blue laser and he falls after dusting the clone.

I rush over and yell, "No!"

Shifu safely carries him away. Isabella used so much magic he's exhausted but still breathing thankfully please be okay everyone.

Jayla glows teal and summons lots of clones.

The tiger breaths in the silver smoke and becomes bigger! He puts his fingers on his chin. "Not bad but you can't fool me!"

He's not as fast so I think her poison worked.

Genji uses his sword knowing I could stake him but the tiger blocks all of me and Genji's strikes and pounces on us.

Judith returns to normal after using so much magic to keep us alive.

I glare at mister mean tiger weirdo. I tuck my shoelaces on the side of my shoes and tuck them under my other laces.

He turns into a shiny silver cloud but not as fast. It's just me, Trang, Shauna, and Genji, though I hope our friends can wake up to help us.

Trang uses his orange lightning making the tiger unable to use magic but we need to slay him before his magic comes back.

"Tiger! I can see you! Genji wan't born yesterday you know."

The floors and walls are cracked even worse now. Is this what it means to be a witch? To stay up this late? We aren't even allowed to show our powers to anyone, but I don't really need them to be cool. But real talk they make me cooler.

Jayla's clone explodes, I hope he can't do his silver cloud thing. Which honestly looks kinda neat.

He leaps really high and fast and Genji couldn't get out of the way fast enough. His feet are on his chest and his arms are straight on both sides of his jaw. I fly really fast yelling. "Get off my friend!"

I fly into him and he rolls until he hits a wall.

Don't these vampires have enough? It's not fair how they just wanna take take and take!

Tiger gets up, smirking like he still thinks he's gonna win. I yell to him. "We'll slay you! You hear me!"

He says. "No you can't."

"Ooooh no one talks to me like that!"

He said a bad word. "Last time Jacob talked like that his mom took his phone away for a month!"

Jayla laughs. "No Ashley he said can't! Accents can make words sound different."

He tries clawing and biting me but I dodge. He's way bigger than me but Angel plays his guitar and his red slow rays hit him. I'm now able to get in closer and he blocks me from staking him.

Jayla yells. "The poison won't last forever you need to stake him like really soon!"

Tiger laughs. "Ha ha too bad you can't! You will all become vampires!"

Shauna uses an earthquake spell shaking him. Angel and I run towards one of his legs flipping him over. Just as I feel like I'm turning normal Angel uses a speed spell on me. My left hand goes really far back and I hit Tiger's arms out of my way with my tonfa. He's breathing heavy an leaps really fast. But I move my left really fast forward staking him.

Tiger falls to his knees as silver dust falls out of him and now he looks white, and he thanks us and his entire body turns into dust.

If dad knew about all this he'd be so jealous of us! He loves saving the world on official Overwatch business after all.

Whew! What a relief! This town is saved thanks to my squad's call for adventure! Well I just wanted to play with Lindsey, but those scary baddies just had to go.

I feel a gush of warmth flowing through me as I hop up and down and finish with a high V jump. "Yay we did it!" I'm in my tracksuit again, but very dizzy and nauseous from all that fighting.

Shauna's looking at her tablet! "We have a problem guys."

Oh no! It's another vampire!

We run passing walls with chipping neon paint and past more rubble.

There's Lindsey! "Leave her alone you!"

Reinhart throws a wood spear at him staking him.

I hug Lindsey with all my heart, feeling warmth spreading through me as I cry happy to see she's alive. "Oh Lindsey I'm so glad you're okay!"


	18. Chapter 17: The Alien Tablet

We get home and dad's home yay! Huh? I feel my head tilting craning my neck to see them. Their arms are crossed, they do not look happy like at all.

"You guys are late! Why didn't you call us to let us know?"

Dad squats down. "I understand you had a mission. Without your help the world would be vampires by now. And I now know you've been hiding an omnic. We could get in serious trouble but I won't tell anyone."

Mom then tells us, "You guys better shower, you already won't be getting enough sleep for school tomorrow."

Angel tells her, "Seriously? But my head hurts!"

"Mine too!" and my legs and arms and back. It doesn't feel like I've skipped cheer practice at all.

Dad then tells us, "Ana, the wise wizards, Winston, Jack, Mondatta, and Zenyatta and I will all cast a powerful spell so aliens can't find Earth anymore."

After showering me Angel and Judith watch videos on the tiger's tablet. He's watching the guy in the green costume fighting the wizard but the superhero isn't even a vampire. The city looks like it has tall buildings, windows with colors that remind me of bubbles, and lines of soft neon lights on the sides of buildings.

The superhero yells. "I don't know who you are but you've come to the wrong planet!"

The wizards concentrates, his beard floating. He teleports away when the other guy tries punching him. He hits him with lighting but he starts dodging it. His thumb goes over his other fingers in a fist and he punches up twisting the right side of his body knocking him up. At the peak of the knock he disappears and reappears behind him. People are running away from other vampires but they're all turning. After the wizard bites into the superhero's neck his eyes start glowing red and he grows fangs!

In the next video the superhero, purple haired lady, princess, wizard, and silver tiger stand in a circle talking.

Silver Tiger says. "Okay I know your main talent is fire but if you absolutely must use fire please just use it normal ok? We're invading the froggy empire so we can finally have the whole galaxy!"

Princess looks up into his eyes. "I'll do my best."

I keep skipping ahead and see her fighting in a huge throne room verse the frog king we slayed. There's a big throne and a long red carpet. Suits of froggy person armor stand next to the walls.

She hits security cameras with a stream of blue fire and just a teeny bit of smoke remains of them. The king tells her. "We will defeat you all! This is our galaxy!"

She evilly laughs. "We're from this galaxy too you know!"

She teleports behind him when he tries hitting her with his bladed staff. His muscles are bursting, and his froggy teeth clench. She lifts him with her mind and drops him on his head, but he rocks back and leaps. She blinds him with a bright light.

She tells him. "Don't worry you'll see again, it's only a temporary blinding spell. Eww I can't believe I'm putting my mouth on a frog!"

The frog king's skin turns a bluish, his eyes redden and fangs appear, dun dun dun!

Silver Tiger walks into the throne room and says. "Great work Princess! It was a tough set of planets but you got their king!"

Superhero then sighs, his eyes less red than usual. "If only we could be freed from our blood sucking impulse."

I watch another video, Judith and Angel also watching with me. The spaceship pilot room looks so goth! There are jet black gargoyles on the wall, light black paint but still too dark to call gray with a soft glowing crimson light a foot below the ceiling running along the wall. They're looking out into space the stars are so pretty. They're with the princess and silver tiger. Superhero looks out the window stroking his chin. "Hmm, according to my readings our dimension is ripping 20 million light years in that direction."

Silver Tiger sort of narrows his eyes and frowning but in a thinking way not a sad way and he crossing his arms. "Hmm, we aren't ready to deal with that right now. There's an evil being from another dimension trying to get through. Space looks all wobbly there and it looks like weird tentacles are trying to leave its vortex. It feels very ominous, spooky, creepy, and unsafe."

Superhero says. "We have to defeat whatever that thing is! It might just eat our entire universe!"

Wizard then facepalms. "Ugh, no it's too dangerous! We must create more vampires if we're gonna stand a chance against it."

They look at a smartscreen and a tentacle monster seems to slowly appear and reappear in a block hole.

Princess is sitting down, looking at screens on the spaceship's humongous dashboard. "Hmm, there's this galaxy called the Milky Way 150 million light years away. It'll take us 3 hours to reach it. Earth looks like a good target. I'm also feeling strong magics from there."

A wolf lady then asks. "Hmm, but is there anywhere we can safely invade from? And I feel like we should take this planet first."

Purple haired girl says. "Hmm, it's a yellow star and their lasers are solar powered. We'll need to be extra careful."

One of those gross centipede people walk through. "Hmm, it'll be too suspicious if we knock out their satellites. There are millions of planets here so why are we flying all the way to the Milky Way again?"

Princess tells him. "Other ships called them."

They all turn left to watch a smartscreen and a huge mouse person appears and Tiger says. "It's the chairperson so settle down everyone."

"Greetings my fellow vampires! It seems like our dimension is being attacked and I can assure you my company isn't ready to face it even though we have an entire galaxy."

Oh it's the mouse guy! I didn't get a notification either.

"Oh hi Imp! Stole Tiger's tablet again I see?"

Hmm, maybe he knows how I can get rid of this annoying truth spell.

"Do you know how I can get rid of a truth spell little mouse?"

He rolls his eyes and leans back in his big chair. "Okay first of all I'm still bigger than you and second of all for the last time I'm not telling you how okay! Anyway we have a problem we can't find Earth anymore and we've lost too many. So we're flying back to our galaxy. Too bad, because we need to keep that...thing out of our dimension!"

He starts walking. "Anyway, I have to get going, sorry we're gonna have to leave you Tiger and the rest behind, and the teleporters got destroyed."

He cuts out and before I start watching more videos dad enters my room.

Dad grabs the tablet. "Aww we were watching that!"

Dad smiles. "Sorry but this is important Overwatch business. You understand, don't you?"

I groan. "But I wanna keep watching!"

Dad says. "But I need to watch it. And you miss, need your sleep! You want to sleep right?"

I tell him the truth but only because of that mean wizard. "No I wanna watch videos on my new tablet I found it!"

"By the way I'm very proud of you! Shauna's mom says you guys had quite the adventure. But you should really get some sleep young lady."

Judith is sleeping in my room today, although I wish we had a sleepover. Hmm, I could DM Izzie. Sigh, it was worth trying.

I needed a good bedtime story, but I'm blinking slowly and can't control it. That monster they were talking about is probably a prank anyway. What's this silver cord attached to me? Where am I?

There's a line of people and it's a very long hallway of people. There's a clerk sitting at a desk talking to people.

Hey she's talking to Lindsey's mom! She asks the clerk, sounding scared. "Please tell me my mom won't abandon me in my next life!"

The clerk tells her. "I can't say. That would be up to her."

She then shows her a tall mirror where she sees Lindsey worrying about her. "You abandoned your daughter to seek status in a fake and selfish culture."

She's crying, but at least Lindsey will find a family that cares for her.

Hey it's Tiger! This time he just has white fur and yellow eyes and his teeth aren't as long. He looks at me and smiles. "Thanks for saving us miss. You have no idea how awful it is, wanting to drink blood all the time."

Princess agreeingly says. "I know right! I hated that!"

I ask her. "So how did you use so much magic instead of just one skill?"

She laughs a little. "Oh everyone has a special power, but you need to unlock other powers on purpose though it's really hard."

I crane my neck looking up to the superhero and he says. "I've been a vampire for over 200 years! It's really terrible."

The lady with the dark purple hair who fought us after we started fighting wizard and hero squats down and tells me. "Thanks for freeing us."

She then hugs me.

She looks over to Lindsey's mom. "Is she your friend's mom? Yeah, I turned her. She was talking to someone from I think it's called Vishkar? They'd trade their freedom just to have so many rules forced on them and being fake."

There's a thing of swirly light very high above the water. Clerks clear a few people to jump through them.


	19. Chapter 18: My Stupid Suspension

Oof I hate feeling like I fell. Hey I'm in my room! Looks like it was just a dream but...yawn. I still need sleep and why am I so sore?

I'm not really awake though but awake enough I hear mom yelling at me. "Ash! It's time for school get up! Your alarm is annoying me turn it off!"

She then turns off my phone. "It's time for school Ash!"

"No it isn't I'm having a nightmare! I have to save your life you're dying!"

I feel her hand on my shoulder and I groan. "Very funny miss now wake up! You don't want to embarrass me by not going to school right?"

Why do you have to do this to me?

"Your brother's awake. If he gets better presents than you...you'll know why."

Really mom do you think I'll fall for that again? Because of the stupid truth spell I can't even lie my way out of this.

Everything looks so fuzzy, I drag my feet across the floor, slumping feeling like I'm going to fall. I open my brother's door and he's still asleep, of course. I look up to my mom and she shrugs. We wake him up and turn his alarm off.

I hear mom yelling in her I want you to do these chores voice. "Ashley don't forget to message your team on Band so you can let everyone know you're making it to cheer practice! It's your responsibility as captain you know. You do want to see your friends at practice right?"

"I don't wanna go to practice today! Please don't make me go! You have Band too can't you tell them I don't wanna go?"

She's right, but I'm so sore and tired I almost drop my phone. I miss my cheer friends so much though.

She scoops a little rice out of our rice cooker putting into a small container. "What's gotten into you? Do you know what I have to deal with every day at the salon?"

Yeah not icky centipede monsters who explode into smelly goo and hundreds of gross yucky scary snakes or smelly giant monsters made of sewer sludge or finding out your new friend's mom doesn't even want her.

"I had a customer with the palest legs yesterday say poor people have it too good!"

Okay mom, maybe you do have it worse. I look up to her and smile. "Mom, you have my sympathies."

We sit in the kitchen and me and Angel drink orange juice with half a carrot and Judith helps with breakfast, no longer needing to hide from my parents. I feel like they'd be so mad and kick us out if she found out when we found her.

Angel looks at dad and ask. "So why did Overwatch give up the fort letting it just rot?"

"Sigh, when Overwatch was outlawed it became illegal for Overwatch to do anything. Stupid I know. After all we did to save that area too. Can I cook or what?"

Dad asks. "You look sad, is it your friend Lindsey?"

"Yeah, I'll miss her I hope she's going to be okay. She's really going to miss Elder."

The school hall looks fuzzy, Isabella is also tired. "It was crazy yesterday wasn't it Ash?"

"Yeah it was!"

Angel whispers, "What's Dean up to this time?"

Dean sounds worried, talking to one of his friends from his club, "I'm worried about them they haven't answered any of my DM's or texts or calls! They're leaving me on open because they're pranking me! Yeah that's it, it's a prank and they'll be back soon! It's just not funny anymore I'm afraid they aren't coming back."

My eyes keep slowly blinking on their own, please stop doing that eyes! Must, fight, my tiredness! Huh? Why is Jacob recording everyone? Put your phone away Jacob.

"These are my friends who I always go on wacky zany adventures with! For adventurer's itch can strike you at any moment! Here's our smart friend Shauna! She actually likes math coding and reading. Over here is our good friend Carlos! He's a bit of a coward but he always pulls through in the end and is amazing at his card game. And here is our cool and amazing hero who always does the right thing Ashley!"

I slowly open my eyes. "What are you doing Jacob?"

"Wow you sound tired! Anyway I'm recording for all my friends! It was such an exciting yet scary adventure yesterday! I feel like we're all closer after yesterday."

He whispers. "Oh, sorry you really need your nap."

"There's the mature and talented Trang! He always keeps us on point practicing our music and over here is my bestie Angel! He's like, really cool! Like his sister."

Dean yells to him. "Don't forget about me my sweet prince!"

Wha?! Who's touching my shoulder! Oh it's . Please I still need my nap!

He looks disappointed in me. "Okay miss you should go to the principal's office."

"Can I nap a little longer?"

"No."

I look up to him clasping my hands "Please!"

"Nope."

"Ugh, Fine."

The principal looks at me with her I know you've done something wrong face. Why me? Of all the times to be cursed with a truth spell it just has to be now! Her hands on her desk tapping each other slowly, her eyes narrowing.

"So Ashley were you sleeping in class?"

Oh crap ok Ashley think! You can't lie anymore so say something.

"I got work done!"

She's not buying it but I did okay! Okay most of the problems aren't done yet but oh well.

She glares meanly at me. "Were you sleeping in class or not?"

"Yes Ma'am."

Omigosh I'm gonna get in even more trouble because of that stupid vampire's truth spell! It only has 10 hours left I hope I can get through today without dying of embarrassment. You never know who'll ask what.

I adjust back in my chair, looking back up from my dangling feet. "Well you see principal me and my friends were fighting vampires. They were from another galaxy you see and..."

Hmm, I can't do this after all! Well, time for the government to take me and my friends away to experiment on us. "They were vampires! There were armadillo people vampires, jack rabbit people vampires, big centipede vampires with three section staffs, rhino people vampires and of course human vampires just like us. I hear the humans are the very first and they turned their whole planet into vampires then they flew to all the other planets and turned their whole galaxy into vampires!"

She looks annoyed oh please don't tell anyone! I actually hope she doesn't believe me but I'd lie if I could right now.

I fidget in my chair and her eyes and mouth narrow like I'm weird. "Can you believe they turned my friend Lindsey's mom into a vampire? She was already a vampire when I found her so I had to slay her. But we'll never tell Lindsey because her mom said she left her because she was holding her back and we turned her into dust to save ourselves and help her go to her next life."

The principal rolls her eyes like she's watching for candy to fall out of the ceiling and off the shelves. "I see you have quite the imagination Ashley. But you and I both know you're just looking for excuses to get out of trouble. No matter how, umm, creative they are I'm afraid I have to follow the rules."

I ask her, "But isn't a principal supposed to be a school's top boss? You can change them for me just this once! Please?"

I feel my upper back hitting the back of the chair hard.

She sounds mad still. "Don't you slouch crossing your arms pouting at me like that young lady! It's simply unacceptable for students to sleep in class! Wait in study hall until your parents get here and no sleeping okay!"

"But don't you get it I'm a hero!"

"Don't you get it you need to follow the rules and understand the value of an education!"

I can't get away with anything! I didn't really want to tell her the truth but good thing she doesn't believe me or else I'd be in even bigger trouble and very bad people would be after us! I hope Lindsey is doing okay at her group home and I hope she finds a good foster family who loves her as much as I do. And those vampires won't be back I just know it because Winston and everyone else did that spell so no more aliens could ever find our earth.

Wait, what's the principal doing? She's standing up and, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to take you to study hall."

She grabs my wrist and starts dragging me. I feel myself beginning to cry. I hope no one makes fun of me.

"No! Not study hall! Please principal I don't wanna go! I don't want my future ruined forever please!"

I try throwing myself on the floor but I just can't free myself. If I try running she just pulls me back. "This will be easier for the both of us if you stopped kicking and trying to throw yourself to the ground."

"But I'm so tired!" I try saying, but didn't come out that way.

Normally it's impossible to refuse whenever a principal orders you to do something, but my future's totally ruined anyway.

"You're crying so much I can't even understand you missie!"

A teacher walks by. "Ashley again?"

"Yeah."

"That's too bad because she's such a bright girl."

My eyes are burning hot, my nose runs I hope it doesn't ruin my good shirt like Principal meanie ruining my future.

The principal sternly tells me. "Young lady, do you think anyone in college acts this immature?"

"I'm the top youth league flyer in the world and practicing guitar and singing! So me and my besties will go viral on SoundCloud Spotify and YouTube. And I can get YouTube money with a cheer channel and a haul channel you'll see! So who needs college anyway?"

And lefty guitars that small are so hard to find!

She looks away and after like a couple of seconds says like she doesn't even care. "Okay. You're lucky youth league cheer is private you know."

Oh no there's stupid Ryan getting out his phone smirking evilly pushing his glasses up his face by the bridge then adjusts his bowtie. Oh great now the whole world will see me acting this way. I feel like the ground under me cracked and swallowed me. Please don't record me like this! Will my friends still like me? Will they even wanna be known as friends of that weird temper tantrum girl?

The principal looks right at him, "Recording is against the rules Ryan! I swear I'll expel you so badly if she goes viral! And I know just how much you wanna be a scientist!"

Ryan sighs, looks down closing his eyes putting his phone back in his bag. "Fine. Oh the smartboard malfunctioned again, I think Angel hacked it."

"But you don't have class with Angel!"

"Oh yeah, he he."

Isabella's here that makes me feel better. I sit and tell her as she's resting her head on her desk. "So you slept in class too huh?"

She tiredly grumbles "Hmm."

"I hear you bestie! I miss Lindsey too you know!"

She slowly lifts her head, blinks slowly at me and says. "That was so scary yesterday but also fun!"

She then smirks. "You know that truth spell that got casted on you? There's so much I want to ask you! If you don't mind that is."

She sits up. "Do you like rainbow sprinkles or chocolate on your ice cream?"

"Rainbow."

"Do you think you're prettier than me?"

You're supposed to be my bestie why are you doing this to me? "No and it isn't fair how you get to be so tall!"

She smiles. "Aww thanks!"

"Do you like Shauna more than me?"

I tell her as if I have a choice. "Of course not you've been my bestie since like forever! She's your friend too you know."

"Will you ever let me be center flyer?"

Oh gosh not again! "No I mean I like you but coach likes putting me there."

"Are you jealous that I get to wear makeup and you don't?"

"Yes!"

She sees I look sad so she changes the topic. "I'm sorry about all those questions."

Shauna approaches me. "Were you seriously making a fool of yourself in the hallway? I'm your friend so you embarrassed me too you know!"

I feel more tears running down my face I can't even say anything. My mouth is so wide I bet everyone can see my uvula. I'm so sad I embarrassed her.


	20. Chapter 19: The End

Oh no, this is terrible I'm gonna miss cheer practice! Mom knows I'm nervous somehow, even if I was taking a nap. "Don't worry Ash we'll make it to your cheer practice."

I see Aliyah oh good! She gives me a big hug. "Hey friend I missed you!"

"I missed you too!"

The coach looks relieved I'm here, but also kind of sad. "I'm sorry you got suspended Ashley, but it sounds like you really need the sleep. Practice is in 30 minutes so just lie on a mat. Cheese wedge mats make good pillows you know."

I can't fall asleep so I just lie down, and my little squad on the team and bestie Isabella sit with me.

A girl ask me, "Where have you been Ashley?"

"I visited my friend Lindsey and stayed way longer than I thought I would. The rest of the week I had self defense training but I really missed you guys!"

The coach calls me and Isabella to lead with stretches and...conditioning! Dun dun dun!

Hmm, she's been doing so many front handsprings, "Stop! You're doing too many you have to front tuck or aerial or any other stunt!"

My bases are holding me but I don't feel tight, at all. "Aliyah grip my shoes better!"

"Sorry but yours don't have any grips!"

"Try my outsoles. We've been through this before, just please!"

"Sorry Ashley!"

My bases toss me but it's the worst toss ever. Coach yells to me. "Have you tried pinching a penny?"

"Yeah."

I get back on and tighten even further. I look over to Isabella, wave, and do a bow and arrow on both sides. It just feels too weird only stretching one side.

That was quite a practice, I enjoy helping my team.

Yay Shauna snapped me! "Hey friend!"

"Sorry for saying you embarrassed me at school earlier. Too bad you'll miss all that homework."

"I'll be okay. We had a really good practice today! Maybe you can join my cheer team?"

Shauna laughs a little, "I don't think so. If only you cared about school like you do cheer, you might stop crying before tests! You might even get held back a grade."

"Wha!? Noooo!"

Isabella laughs, taking a picture of me. "Has anyone ever told you how memable you look Ashley?"

"Isabella! Shauna's being mean to me! She's starting to sound like Melissa!"

Shauna blinks and her eyes widen, "Wha? She mostly picks on your brother doesn't she?"

"Yeah but she's mean to me too!"

I look over to me team, "Come on can't anyone do anything to cheer me up?"

Shauna tells me, "I can come over, and I see your family behind you."

The breeze feels so nice coming through my window.

Mom and Angel are behind me and yay mom and Angel bring me home! Me and Shauna finish reading a story.

I tell Shauna about what I saw on the tablet yesterday, and my dream.

"No way!"

"Yep."

"Promise me you won't tell anyone?"

She pretends there's a zipper on her mouth and zips it, telling me she's going to keep my secret.

"Wasn't that weird thing scary?"

"No."

She looks like she doesn't believe me. "Don't lie to me Ashley."

"Just kidding it was!"

We laugh together, and she was with me when that stupid truth spell ended, hooray!"

My pangolin plush is under my arm while Judith sits on my desk next to my kitty plush and throws it at me. She's so fun making us laugh together. I feel so light and warm I could fly.

I tell Shauna, "Well, that ends another volume."

We laugh together as we close out of our tablets. We look at each other smiling, knowing more adventures await us, both in books and in real life.


End file.
